Saigo ni...-Mei

Bright lights flashed about the giant room.  Loud music pounded in my ears.  This band wasn't widely known.  I'd never heard of them before, but Kaji had, and he knows good music.  If my parents found out I was here....I'd be in so much trouble.  15, grounded, without an adult, and only Kanji for protection?  That's just asking for trouble.  

"Yuukanna!  Come on!  Let's get closer!" Kaji said in my ear, excited and loud.  I smiled a little.  He was so funny when he was having a good time.  I nodded and followed his lead.  

Actually, 'followed' was a slight understatement.  My best friend practically dragged me through the crowd of people.

I remember being elbowed and yelled at by the other spectators.  I tripped a few times, but Kaji was always there to help me get back on my feet.

The closest we were able to get was about ten feet from the edge of the stage.   The opening band was finishing up as we got settled standing in our little spot.

Kaji has been my best friend since I was six.  He had helped me with my new kite my late grandma had gotton me for my sixth birthday.  I was playing with it in the front yard of the house we lived in at the time, and our dog jumped on me, wanting attention, causing me to let go of the string.  I chased it for ten minutes before it landed in a tree.  His tree.  We were the same age, and were best friends instantly.

He had climbed the tree and got my kite, then kissed my cheek to make me stop crying.  I can't help but smile when I think about it.

He was having a great time, talking to one of his friends he spotted as we waited for the main band to set up.  That made me smile, too.  Oh, the adolecent crush.  

It sucks.

He is completely oblivious.  Of course...

"Yuukanna, this is Tori.  Remember him from third grade?" Kaji said, his blue eyes shining.   

I smiled and nodded.  "A little, yeah.  Nice to see you again," I yelled, trying to be loud enough for him to hear me, as I shook his hand.

Suddenly, the crowd cheered around us, the air vibrating with the intensity.   A girl with long blonde hair, emo-like bangs, bright blue saphire eyes, and biker boots on her dainty feet walked up to the microphone.  

I stared at her, enchanted by her beauty.  Why couldn't I be that pretty?  Kaji cheered with everyone else and raised his arms in the air, grinning.    Now I know why he was so
excited, I thought, a pang of slight jealousy.  

"Konnichiwaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!" The girl said into the microphone, she said, strumming a short riff with the electric guitar she had strapped to her.   She smiled.  "Thanks for coming out tonight!  If you don't know us, this lovely girl to my left is Ai."  A light shined on the girl, she waved from her spot, holding her bass guitar, her short black hair spiked out, her choppy bangs partially covering her eyes.

"The beautiful maid on my right is Utsukushi."  A light also shined on this girl.  Her hair was longer than the blonde haired girls'; down to her rear and a deep dark, brown-ish red color.  Her straight across bangs completed the look around her cute tiny face.   She waved with both her hands, letting her deep purple bass guitar hang from its strap on her shoulders.

"This is my girl, Seikatsu, on the drums!" The blonde girl pointed to the back of the stage where a light shined on a pretty girl with long dark hair, no bangs with her hair parted on the side, where she sat with her drums.  She stood and kissed to the crowd.
"And I'm Saisei!  And we are Blue Ribbon!!!" The blonde girl said, grinning.  The crowd cheered and clapped.

She waited a few minutes and ran her fingers through her hair.  "Okay, well, thanks for coming out tonight.  Let's get things started!  What should we do first?"

Several loud shouts came from all around.  Saisei bent down to listen to a girl beside the stage.  She talked to her, unheard by the crowd.  She nodded and stood up again.  "How about 'Kimi Ga Kureta Mono'?"

Several people clapped and cheered.   She nodded and held her guitar.  "Alright!"  Seikatsu started the base beat for the song and the crowd cheered.  
I clapped and glanced at Kaji.  He was grinning at me, clapping as well.

As soon as the opening guitar solo started, I felt a hand wrap around my arm and pull my backwards.  I stumbled back and turned to face my father.  Oh, crap.  "F-father?"

Kaji looked back at us, his grin disappearing.  "Y-Yuukanna?"

My father glared at me.  "Outside.  Now."

The blonde girl started to sing, soft and pretty.  "Kimi to natsu no owari shourai no yume.  Ooki na kibou wasurenai.  Juunen-go no hachigatsu mata deaeru no wo shinjite.  Saikou no omoide wo..."

My father froze and looked up at the stage.  His eyes widened a little after a few moments of staring at Saisei.  "Who...who is that?"

I turned to look at the stage as well.  "Her name is Saisei," I shouted back at him.

He stared and looked back at me.  "We are leaving."

"Deai wa futto shita shukan kaerimichi no kousaten  Koe wo kakete kureta ne 'Issho ni kaerou'.  Boku wa terekusasou ni Kaban de kao wo kakushi-nagara Hontou wa totemo totemo ureshikatta yo...Aa Hanabi ga yozora kirei ni saite Chotto setsunaku.  Aa Kaze ga jikan to tomo ni nagareru.  Ureshikutte tanoshikutte Bouken mo iroiro shita ne.  Futari no himitsu no kichi no naka..."

My father looked up at Saisei as she sang.  I looked and saw that she was looking directly over here.  Directly at us.  He sighed sadly and bit his lip.  "It can't be..." I heard him mumble.

"Kimi to natsu no owari shourai no yume Ooki na kibou wasurenai.  Juunen-go no hachigatsu mata deaeru no wo shinjite.  Kimi ga saigo made kokoro kara "Arigatou" sakende 'ta koto shitte 'ta yo.  Namida wo koraete egao de sayounara.  Setsunai yo ne Saikou no omoide wo..."

He dragged me out and to the car where my mother was waiting.  I climbed in the back and he got in the drivers seat.  He just sat there, hanging his head.  My mother took his hand and threw and angry glance back at me.  "Jintan...what's wrong?"

He shook his head and looked at her.  "I saw her.  I swear, Anaru...  It sounds crazy, and I barely believe it, but I saw her..."

She watched him, blinking her brown eyes through her black-rimmed glasses.  "Saw who?..."

He closed his eyes and tears fell from his eyes, shocking me.  My father never cried.  Ever.

He buried his face in his hands.  

".....Menma."