Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Last Song ❯ New Flash: Sawada Records Has Found The Band? ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Kampai!!!" They all toast as they raise their glasses in the air. Hiei's group decided to go out for drinks after their victory at the bar. It was pretty close with that one group 'Dead in Winter' but when the crowd started screaming the short males name they knew they had it. Kuwabara made some pretty snide jokes still about the boys height when handing him a check of 5 thousand dollars so they could rent some time in KISS Studio, Kuwabara's label, to make a cd for themselves. Its a real deal!

Taking a swig of his drink Hiei scrunches his nose in protest. "Why do I always get this fruity crap. I've had beer before."

"Because, even though Koenma has the face, in reality" Kuronue grabs the boys chin. "You're the baby in the group. Which means Chuhai is the beer for you."

Pulling his face away, he sneers at the taller male but continues to sip his fruit flavored beer.

Koenma holds the check up to the light as if trying to make sure its the real thing. With a low whistle he says. "Do you know how much studio time we're gonna get with this money?"

"How 'bout none for now." He plucks the check from the brunets hand.

"Hey!"

"This money doesn't belong to us." Says the slender male.

Yusuke reaches up with one hand placing it on the males forehead while setting his other hand to his own. "Huh, he's actually cooler than me."

"I think what Yusuke means is, have you lost your mind? We're talking about really making an album here."

"Yeah. I can already see buckets of fans lining up to buy it." Says Yusuke still touching his forehead.

Shaking his head, Kuronue hands it over to Hiei, who cocks a questioning brow at his friends motive, the pale male continues to say. "This money is great sure, but we can maybe make some more some other time."

"Really? 5000 dollars? Where are we gonna get that." Koenma folds his arms over his chest. "We need that money to get us started."

"Koen' Hiei needs it more. His family is seriously in debt because of Yuki's illness a while back. This will catch them up and then some- its only right." He stares the brunet down. "We all love her and Hiei's mother and it would suck to watch them continue to suffer when they don't have to.... We'll make more money some-...."

Koenma holds up a hand. "You're right. She was the one who said we should go out for it."

Hiei looked at his best friend in a new light. He knew he cared about him but he didn't really know how much. "Thank you."

"No problem. But now we need to think of a way to make quick cash." Tossing an arm around Hiei he says in a sly voice. "After all the screams you got last night, maybe you oughta sell your body for the cash."

Deep friendship? Maybe not.

Removing the males arm, he says. "Don't count on it."

"Waitress! Another round!" Calls Yusuke.

"Yes. Right away." Says a girl with a notepad and side turned hat.

"Maybe we should play live- you know, like those guys with violins do."

"I don't think that works for rock music, we'd look like tools." Comments Koenma.

Scoffing, Kuronue shrugs. "You and Hiei were taught classically, so you play that keyboard and he'll play acoustic."

Hiei shakes his head. "Forget it."

"Than what?" Asks Yusuke wishing that they could just use the money they have right here, right now and they can give Hiei's family money some other time, but he knew that wouldn't be fair. It was Yukina who brought up the competition, Yukina who had them work hard enough to actually get a song out there and- well, it was actually Hiei's singing that allowed them to win, but still they are twins so it should count as points.

"For now we focus on our songs, we've already got the sound we just need words." With a shrug, Hiei adds. "We'll somehow go from there, maybe we can book gigs at bars like those other bands if we all agree that a good percent of our paychecks will go towards the band."

"I'm in." Says Kuronue easily.

"Same here."

The waitress sets their cans, bottles and glasses down as well as the check.

".....Under one condition."

They look at the grouchy brunet with question.

"No more songs about sex."

"Aha. You don't think that was our edge?" Asks Hiei with a smirk on his face.

"Not really," he cocks his head back and forth. "The fact that people wanted to sleep with you and the song made them think about that, sure, but we don't wanna be that kind of group." He says in a tight hiss of a voice. "We're not a boy band!"

"Okay, okay." Nearing groans. "Then you help think up the lyrics this time since you've never been... well, intimate with anyone before." Says the dark haired male with the length.

"Best idea you've come up with all night."

"Mm." Sounds Yusuke to get their attention while downing his can of beer. "We'd better get home then because if I'm late one more time, walking papers."

"Yeah." Says Koenma.

They all stand to leave, legs swinging over to the other side of the bench they're seated on. They replace their sneakers or boots before leaving the bar with their noisy little chatter of speaking.

The next morning. The two Ryokan workers have come to a brief pause in their morning shift and are taking a break in one of the baths to relax them since they were unintentionally up late last night being a little tipsy from the high of actually winning the small contest to the small buzz from the beers they had. The two friends cracked up to the shower together and joked and teased when helping wash one another. This is uncommon for either of them because in all of their friendship they've never had any type of sexual urge for each other but it didn't stop them from kissing now and then while picking on parts of the other male that are different from their own. This later ended with the two of them singing the lyrics to that song Kuwabara did with Misha Yumi and the two of them sang it just as jacked up as they hear the red head doing it and by the end of it all they crashed in the same bed and slept till the alarm shot them up.

"It really sucks to be working here and not get to see a single shred of skin." Says the taller male.

Hiei gives him an exhausted glance then closes his eyes to let the water sooth his body and mind. "You didn't have to take a cleaning job, serve tea and snacks." He shrugged. "Give massages if you wanna see people naked."

"Eeh," he waves those ideas off. "Have you ever felt a massage from me, you're doing more harm than good and I don't serve tea. Besides they prefer that women do that."

"You're alright to look at."

"In drag?"

Wincing, Hiei remarks. "Good point."

About ready to fall asleep, Hiei shakes off the tired then stands. "Back to work."

"Mm." He gets out of the tub as well.

Giving their bodies a once over they put their uniforms back on, leaving the towels in their hair. There was always a chance that they could get fired doing that sort of thing but its never come up in the employee meetings so maybe it isn't grounds for dismissal. Pushing his bucket into the hall, Hiei flicks a finger telling his friend to fill the tub once he's done cleaning it in the next room. The morning went along quietly as expected when working in a place populated by people that over weigh your own age greatly and since the two of them tended to travel away from one another how could it not be quiet a lot of the time. When the work was done and the two boys were on their ways home they side tracked to Abarai bar in hopes of getting permission to perform there once again.

Izumo shook his head when the two males asked about any open slots to perform at his bar again. It just wasn't possible since it conflicted with their usual entertainment. He just can't let any old starter band come into his bar to play each week- he might lose customers. He knew it was a bad idea to hold that competition here but KISS payed them a lot of money to do so.

"Just one time." Kuronue holds up a finger as if the manager is dense as to just how much one is.

"Can't do it." He lowers a seat to the floor. "But hey! Maybe the bar up the street takes musicians, you should try asking them."

Giving the male the stink eye, the two band mates walk out with their hopes a bit shot. But he did suggest the bar up the street but was the place even any good and what kind of crowd goes there?

Kicking a stone across the street Hiei stuffs his hands in to his pants pocket with a roll of his eyes. "This place probably isn't even the type of bar we're looking for, just a bunch of old guys sipping sake while flirting with waitresses; I'm sure the last thing they want is to be bombarded with rock music." Hurrying across the lightly trafficed street the two friends walk into an empty bar.

"You never know. Hello?!" Calls the taller of the them. "Is anyone here yet?"

"Who leaves the door unlocked if no one is here?" Questions Hiei.

"Hello!" He tries again.

There's a bit of rattling going on in the back so the two head that way.

"Excuse me?" Kuronue pushes open the cracked door. "Are you the manager of this bar?" He asks.

An elderly man coughs into a rag before nodding his reply. Stepping out of the room, yukata swishing as he does so, he walks into the main part of the building. "That's me. What do you want?"

Hiei looks at his friend with an expression that says 'we may as well just go', but the taller male insisted.

"We're looking for a job- well, a gig actually." Jutting his thumb at Hiei then his self, he adds. "We're an up and coming band and thought that maybe you'd let us play here once a week...." Getting a crabby look from the old man, he clears his throat then tries again. "Think of how many customers we'd pull in."

The old man waves it off with the flick of his boney wrist; walking around to the back of the counter, he fishes around for something. "What makes you think I need help pulling in customers young man? I've got six cute waitresses and two men but I don't think you came here for a job in that position so go on, get out of here."

Grabbing the guitarist by the wrist Hiei pulls him out of the place with him. "I told you it was pointless."

"We just need to try a few other places."

"You try, I'm going home to work on lyrics so I'll at least have something ready for when Koenma comes over."

"Alright," rolling his eyes, he stuffs his hands into his pocket following after the short male. "I can take a hint, I'll go home with you."

Wrapping his arm around the boys shoulders, the two of them head for the train station to get the schedule since they missed the morning one they usually take home.

Somewhere in the city later that morning. Koenma crouches down to grab a loaf of wry bread from the display case. Placing the bread into a large plastic wrap, he gives it a twist then ties it off. "Here you are ma'am. Have a nice day."

"Thank you." Passing him a five spot, he smiles a thank you to her.

Sometimes it pays to look cute he guessed. The morning was pretty slow for customers and it seemed the afternoon was going to be the same way. Which gave Koenma plenty of chances to slip off to the side to where he set up a small table and chair to write down anything that might come to him through out his work hours.

Celes, one of his fellow employee's kept a glancing blue eye his way, wondering what it is that the male is doing, she would have left it alone had the male not glanced at the door then scurried over to the pad and pen like he may run out of time if he didn't write whatever it is that he's thinking right at the moment.

"Koenma-san, what are you writting?" She asks.

"A song." He replies simply.

"For who?"

"A guy I know."

Nearly floored, she clears her throat, patting a hand on the side of her tightly pulled foreign blonde hair then asks. "Are you very close?"

Stopping what he's doing, he looks at the girl with blinking question. "We're friends if that's what you're asking and we're in a band together." Writing down a few more lyrics he then stands, recaps the pen and joins Atsuka by the counter. "I agreed to help him come up with some lyrics for songs."

"Oh." She audibly sighs with relief. She never would have pegged Koenma as one of those others she reads about in books and things. Although he's never been with a girl that she's ever known of. No. Its crazy. A guy like Koenma just has to like girls, its so obvious she feels guilty for thinking otherwise. "Well, good luck."

"Uh huh." He isn't paying her the least mind.

A customer walks in ready to point out a loaf of bread. Koenma jots down three more lines then crosses two out. He really wants to write something romantic, but at the same time he wants it to sound like them. After finishing up with the customer Celes invites herself over to the males table, taking a seat she picks up the paper.

"Hm?"

Eye twitching, Koenma is about to snatch the paper back when the girl smiles into a laugh. "These lyrics are so sad, were you thinking about someone when you wrote them?"

"Not really," he takes the sheet of paper from her hands. "I just think its the kind of thing people can relate to now adays what with it being the start of fall and everything."

Giving the brunet a quizzical look, Celes cocks her head. "What do you mean by that?"

"Most men break up with their girlfriends around this time, something about new seasons make people wanna change things. Spring cleaning, summer break, winter woes- I forget the one for fall but I'm sure that there's one out there."

"Brute." Getting up from the table she plasters on a false smile for the next customer.

"What did I say?"

The paper thin man in the crisp gray suit looked right past the girl to Koenma, his beady gray eyes and sneering face make the male glare back. "Are you Koenma Daioh?"

"I am." He remains caution toned with this weirdo.

"I've got great news for you then."

.......................

Kuronue smoothed his shirt down entering his and Hiei's cozy little home. "Aaaaahh," he spreads his arms. "There's nothing like a mothers love." Tossing his work jacket to the couch, he heads into their bedroom to change.

After failing to find a bar to play at the two of them stopped off at the Yeoh's to give his mother the check and she nearly flooded the place with happy tears, broke their bones with hugs, then stuffed them before they left which was good since money was tight and their fridge is currently empty.

Grunting at the dozing ferret on the couch Hiei picks it up setting it down on the other side where his friend usually sits. Collapsing on the couch he runs a hand through his hair with an exhausted sigh. To think he'll have to go back to work later on tonight to clean again, it kind of made him wonder what goes on at night that they have to clean again in the morning. He bounced a bit on his seat when his room mate pounced the couch.

"Hello my little playmate." He greets the animal. "Are you hungry?"

"Hn. You know that thing eats better then we do."

"Are you gonna hold that against him when he's looking for love and a full belly from his parents." Shoving the black and gray powder puff into the boys face, he adds. "I love you daddy."

"Daddy?"

"Ha. I've got you beat in beauty buddy." Getting up from the couch he filches the cabinets in the kitchen for the animals trail mix.

Hiei leaves the couch as well to grab his walkman from the bedroom so he can listen to the audio they made of could be songs. Slipping on the head phones he walks back into the living room taking a place on the couch once again beside Kuronue. Turning it up a bit to block out the male jabber to the television, he nearly gets the wind knocked out of him when the taller male wraps his arms around his torso pressing his ear to the other side of the headphone.

"I could follow you," he sings then snickers when Hiei rolls his eyes. "Into bed." He laughs again when Hiei turns up the volume. But that didn't stop him as he only sang louder. "Where you'll lay your head between my knees, pretty lady."

"That doesn't even rhyme."

Waving that off, he grabs the pad and paper the boy had on the coffee table. "Ever hear of Haiku? Songs don't have to rhyme." After a thought he says. "They don't even have to make sense most of the time. Lots of people sing about dumb stuff that has nothing to do with anything."

"And look at where they end up on the charts."

"Do rock bands make it on charts."

"How would I know," shoving the boy away, he turns the volume down. "Now would you leave me alone! I have to concentrate on this."

Rolling his eyes he sighs. "Yes sir." Taking the pad and pen, he stands at the counter in the kitchen looking over some of what Hiei's written down so far.

Across the vast wilderness I wonder why I can't see you anymore,

My hand holds the air wishing you were there.

I'm in isolation over you, missing where you used to be as more than it is.

Since nothing ever changes.

With a sly smile he shakes his head. Looks like we're gonna be on the bottom. Adding a line he erases two then changes the wording. There. Reading it over, he's happy with it.

Hiei's cell buzzes across the table but Kuronue picks it up since the shorter male didn't hear it.

"Problem?" He answers as he usually does whenever its a band member- it was kind of their thing as friends.

"Koenma just called me about it!" Shouts Yusuke making Kuronue have to back the phone away from his ear.

"About what?"

"You know that big wig at KISS records?"

"Uh huh?"

"He was there! At Abarai and he heard us play!"

"And?"

"He wants to see how well we'll hold up as a new band then he says he's gonna sign us!"

"Holy shit!"

Jumping from start, Hiei takes off the headphones. "What?" He questions.

Kuronue held up a finger to wait while he listened to the details from their drummer.

"That guy Sawada says his son Shin is gonna need a band to start his wing of the company off and we could be it!"

"We could be it!" He repeats almost giddy.

"But there's a catch,"

"A catch? Like what?"

"He says we can't exactly do rock because his son kind of-.." he makes a sound to indicate what the spoiled brat thinks of it. "So if we really wanna be signed we're gonna have to come up with a new format or something."

"Little prick." Comments the guitarist. "Well, what about Mr. Sawada himself, why can't he sign us?"

"Koen' says his assistant came over to talk to him and he asked that same question but that guy said that Sawada has more than enough talent under his belt and that his son is really trying."

"So we have to be his ginuea pigs, that hardly seems fair."

"Hey this is take it or leave it Kuro', so we have to meet with him later with our decision."

"How much later?"

Hiei, whose been standing as close to the taller male as possible to overhear their friends thankfully loud voice, can't believe his ears that they might get professionally signed by KISS records.

"Around six." Yusuke is looking down at a post-it he wrote the message on. "Since KISS isn't over here we're meeting at Garden Lounge."

Snapping his fingers for the pad and pen, Hiei obliges the objects for him.

"Garden Lounge six o'clock."

Writing as the male says, Hiei looks it over with disbelief.

"You guys gonna make it?"

"Are you kidding we're gonna wait there for him." Just as he's about to hang up he calls into the phone. "Tell Koenma he kicks ass."

"I already did, twice." He laughs. "We're gonna be signed!!"

"I know!!" He yelled before hanging up.

"Garden Lounge? Isn't that a hotel?"

"So what. Come on let's get dressed."

The hotel dining room was litered with people here and there but who cared about that when the only person that stood out in the lavish atmosphere of bubble filled pillars, partisens, tables with both chairs and boothes, potted plants etcetra. But there amongst all that was a red head- clearly dyed- with his crisp looking black suit and Gucci sneakers that cost more than any of their lives put together. The small band take a seat as they assume they've been offered after giving the male a bow.

The young man with the ravishing eyes takes a drag from his cigarette then blows the smoke out at them. "Which one is Koenma Daioh?"

Confused, Koenma raises a finger. "That would be me."

"Well, Koenma, I hope your band mates are kissing your feet at this point because if it weren't for you signing your full name on the sheet my fathers assistant never would have been able to track you guys down then I'd be having this meeting with some other band that isn't really up to par." His voice is impressively smooth for his age and he sounds like he knows what he's doing.

"Don't worry he'll get his praise." Comments an excited Yusuke, drumstick spinning circles within his nervous grasp.

"I want this to be a trial for you boys, I wanna see how far you can really make it given little to go on. I trust that you really want this?"

"More than anything." Says Yusuke; Hiei is glad someone can talk at this point.

"I'm sending you boys to Tokyo-.." He's interrupted by Kuronue and Yusuke's cheering. "With prediums, but there's a catch you have to prove yourselves, I'm talking all out. I'll arrange for you to play somewhere and when I do I want people complaining that they missed their chances to get a seat inside. Do you think you can do it?"

"Of course, we write and play really fast." Says Yusuke with no real grounds to brag on but one lucky sex song. "We won't let you down Mr. Sawada."

"See that you don't." Standing from the table, he drops a wad of bills. "Meal is on me boys so eat up. Your flight to Tokyo is in three days be ready by then."

"Yes. Thank you." Yusuke waves him off.

As he heads for the elevator, smile on his face over their enthusiasm he wonders if this no name band can really do it. Hn. If not I can always sign someone else and use them as a write off.