Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Love or Hate ❯ Volume One, Chapter Four: Pressure ( Chapter 4 )

Pressure

Art is not easy to make. Isao knew this well. How would he combat writer's block? Go out and travel, of course.

-One Week Earlier-

New Delhi. Tomoe always wanted to come here. She's had a fascination with India since she was in high school. His father never got it. But after Isao saw the country for himself, it made sense. The culture shock took him at first. The spices teased his nose. The bright colors nearly blinded him. Cows roam the streets? Isao blinked as he looked around. His brain about melted down.

It took the vocalist about a day to get his bearings. He took to India like a fish to water. It took the help of mother's old friend. On this trip, he was there to greet Isao.

“Welcome, welcome!” he said at the airport with his arms out. “How have you been?”

“Good,” Isao said. “And you?”

“Never better,” the older man said. “How is your mother?”

“Good,” the vocalist said. “She's doing good.”

“That is good to hear,” the old friend said. “Have you eaten yet?”

“No,” Isao said. “Lead the way.” He followed the older man out of the airport.

---------

India cleansed Isao's soul. He wasn't fond of the hot weather, but it was a small price to pay for creativity. He always spends that first night in his hotel room. Isao had to be alone. Helped him think better. Isao turned off his phone and disconnected the phone in the room. Now, he could work.

This trip had more pressure this time. Charm Inu needed another album. Kaz and the label pushed the bad for something new.

“You can't rush creativity,” Isao said. “It takes time.”

“Please!” Kaz pleaded. “At least give us lyrics!” The vocalist sighed and rolled his eyes.

“I'll see what I can do,” he said. It couldn't be in Japan.

India fed Isao's heart. Maybe he could move here after he retired. Right now, he wasn't ready to do that.

By the fight night, Isao had finished three songs. It felt like that was it for now. He ordered curry for dinner, took a shower, watched TV, and went to bed.

--------

Cows walking around New Delhi oddly felt like home. Isao almost wanted to pet them.

“You can't do that,” his mother him when he was little.

“Why not?” he asked. Tomoe nuzzled his cheek in his bed.

“They are really special,” she whispered. “They don't like to be touched.” Tomoe kissed him on the cheek. Looking around India now brought the vocalist closer to his mother. The spices from market was rather endearing. They help him think in a way. Isao always came to the markets in the morning.

“Hey, Miike-san,” he said. His mother's friend looked up.

“Hm?” he asked.

“Why does mom love?” he asked. Miike-san looked up, smiling.

“Her first crush,” he said. Isao turned his head.

“Oh?” he asked. Miike-san picked up a bright red tomato. He took a sniff.

“It was an exchange student,” he said. “Such a beautiful boy. He didn't talk much. Your mother was assigned to help him get settled.”

“What happened?” Isao asked. Miike-san smiled and shook his head.

“She got him to open up a bit,” he said. “The boy didn't talk much. He was always around your mother.”

“Did they ever date?” Isao asked as they walked up to a nan booth.

“Hard to say,” the older man said. “They wouldn't say. But, I had a guess by the way they acted around each other. She giggled and blushed around him. He only smiled when he was with him.” The glow died from his face.

“He ended up going back to India when the school year ended,” he added.

“Ah,” Isao said. That story alone gave him more inspiration for more lyrics.

----------

-Tokyo, Present Day-

Raija sighed at his desk. He looked up when there was a knock on his door.

“Enter,” he grumbled. A petite woman walked into his office. Raija leaned back in his chair and sighed.

“Problems to home?” the woman asked.

“Spare me!” he said.

“Your wife?” she asked. Raija shook his head.

“No, she's great,” he said. “It's her son.”

“Son, sir?”

“Yeah.”

“That bad?”

“Yeah.” Raija threw back his head and groaned. The woman stood with papers to her chest.

“Do you need a moment?” she asked.

“No, no,” he said. “What did you want?”

“Uh… I just came by to drop off the paperwork,” she said.

“Thanks,” he said.

“Uh… excuse me,” she said. Raija looked up at her.

“What?” he asked. The woman hesitated at first.

“Well.. how old is your stepson?” she asked.

“Why?” he asked. The woman shrugged.

“I just figured with dealing with your niece and all…” she said. Raija's eyes widened.

“Are you saying…?” he asked. His face lit up brighter than a Christmas tree.

“You are brilliant, Yoko-san!” he asked. The gears turned in his head.

“Boss?” she asked. Raija looked up at her, grinning.

“You just helped me solve two problems together,” he said.

Track Four