♬—» MELLIFLUOUS » Track 9
♬—» Semi Eita X F!Reader
» summary. — When circumstances cause a band to temporarily rent a bassist, childhood friends turned strangers meet paths again, resentment and bitterness underline the melodies. What was the fallout, boy?
» Ch. — 6.4k
Warnings: TW Panic Attack, mentions of cheating
» A/N. — *descents into the pits of hell laughing like a disney villain*
Track 8 « Series Masterlist » Track 10
Two weeks later
"She isn't picking up."
"Try calling her again."
"I tried five times already...but she is mad or something."
"Dude, how did you manage to get her mad at you."
"Dunno it seems like I piss off everyone these days."
"Dashi, he is not worth it...and if it helps, she isn't picking up my phone calls either. She hasn't even liked my latest Insta Post."
"Sunarin, I didn't like it either."
"Dashi, that mirror selfie was very nice. You, my dear, just have a weird taste...see Terushima."
"Wow, low blow even for you, Suna…."
Semi sighed, watching his two band members bicker and tried to intervene before Tadashi started stress eating his nails again. His fingers twitched, urging him to do something other than drumming them on his ripped jeans with intense frustration.
It had been two weeks since Aces & Kings could snatch the win from Nice Kill. Effectively ending Semi's hopes of performing the song he wrote with the people he liked being with the most for an even bigger audience. It also was the catalyst of a few other things that probably started the graying process of Semi's hair.
For once, he had realized that your benevolent gesture of helping them out had ended with the night. It was strange, the sour mood of loss hanging over their shoulders like a dark rainy cloud while you all packed your things into Suna's van. The silence was loud among everyone during the car ride to your apartment. Thickly layered, just the tapping of fingers on a phone screen until you quietly asked if someone would be kind enough to carry one of your instruments upstairs.
With a strange voice, Suna claimed that he could not carry either your cello or your bass correctly. Thus, Semi followed you up the creaking wooden stairs to your apartment, ensuring you got home safely.
He could have sworn there was something you wanted to tell him; ask him when you finally turned around after receiving the bass from his hands and put it onto the floor of your entryway. The words were stuck in your throat, just as they were in his.
What to say? Thank you for your effort. I'm sorry we lost and wasted your time? I enjoyed our time, but now we have to go our own way?
Semi didn't dare to say the words, he thought. He didn't want to tell you that he was afraid to miss you because he had sworn to himself weeks ago that he would not open himself up to care so much, not again. He could not afford to miss you. Not again.
So he said his goodbyes and "take care" at the door in the stairwell and avoided looking at you when you said you were sorry.
Damn you, there was nothing you had to say sorry for. He felt angry at himself for some reason, probably the loss now getting to him as he returned to the car, where Suna was no longer in the driver's seat but in the back consoling Yamaguchi.
The three dreaded the outcome of his relationship but didn't realize the full intention until days later.
When Tadashi returned to his flat from an exam, he found the things Terushima had left in a drawer and a key under his foot mat. No text, no calls, and the blonde had blocked his number. All of their numbers.
However, he didn't unblock them on social media, where days later, he posted a picture of Hana in his lap, his hands very high on her thigh.
Then, two hours later, he blocked them after everyone saw his story.
Yamaguchi was a wreck. To top it all off, they were rarely able to see him since he and you had exams lining up one after the other and could not make time. Which Semi understood but also was strangely sad about.
"Finally," Yamaguchi sighed, pressing a button on his phone to put it on loudspeaker, "Y/N you're harder to reach than a damn politician…have you been avoiding us?"
"You know it's not like that" your voice made Semi's chest flutter in excitement. Curious about the strange tone in your intonation. Were you stressed out? How have you been? Have you been sleeping well?
Semi got drawn out of his reverie when Suna interrupted your little verbal squabble with Tadashi with a whiny noise from the background.
“Vetoooo we miss youuu. When can we hang out?"
"I don't have time, Suna…." you paused, taking a deep breath, "I've been busy…you know…exams and stuff."
"Bullshit," Yamaguchi rolled his eyes, "We are done with exams since five days ago and I have asked to hang out plenty of times…you are avoiding us."
"It's not that, "you sighed and quickly added, "It's just I have work and some weddings lined up. I also traveled a little over these past days so…."
"It was just two weddings Y/n," Yamaguchi knowingly butted in.
"Three actually, you'd know if you didn't bail on me and Alma." You countered a hint of annoyance in your voice.
"Yeah, I really wasn't in the mood for romance these past days.." Yamaguchi gritted his teeth. Semi watched him roll his eyes, take a deep breath, and continued, "You traveled?"
"Yeah, I went down to Osaka for an audition, and home for the weekend…met up with an old friend….from home."
"Old friend?" The pianist quirked an eyebrow," You told me that you didn't have old friends back home….seriously, Y/N, are you okay? I heard from Alma that you had a little panic attack."
There was a pregnant pause, and Semi could picture how you were biting your lip on the other side of the phone call. Angry and annoyed that Yamaguchi had asked you about this, well aware that Suna and he was listening in on the conversation.
"Yeah, thanks for bringing that out in the open, Yamaguchi," your tone was laced with a tinge of poison, making Tadashi wince a little, "But I'm fine…as I said, I went to see family and a friend… If you care to know, I got a bit freaked out at the audition in Osaka. So…how about you just let the matter rest, okay?"
"I'm so-" Tadashi started, but you interrupted him sharply.
"Why did you call?" you snapped over the phone, "You usually text about hanging out…and I already told you i am busy…but you hardly call…and the fact that Suna…and most likely Semi, who hasn't said anything but is most likely listening in, tells me that there is something else. Get on with it."
Tadashi's eyes swayed to Suna, who looked at Semi silently, asking which of them wanted to poke the dragon. The silent eye contact duel was lost by Suna after he scoffed at Semi's unbudging gaze.
"Veto…we have another favor to ask of you…." Suna said, taking the phone from Tadashi, "None of these two cretins know how to talk to girls the right way, so I'm asking."
"At least I have an excuse," Yamaguchi piped in, but Suna shushed him before continuing.
"So…remember how we kinda lost at the Di Angelis…turns out that we, when we signed that contract, didn't read how there was a small clause that stated that we owe that slimy git Daishou for another performance. Unpaid, unfortunately…and well…."
He paused and looked at Semi, who had the decency to look slightly embarrassed. It had been him who read over the contracts and signed them for the band. Fair enough, there was a way out for you since you weren't an official member and not listed as such. The other thing was that while the contract with Daishou was still on, Nice Kill was not allowed to perform at any other venue.
"So you just called to ask me to help you out again?" you said after a pause.
"Yeah….um…Daishou…actually listed up for a few performances…we tried to get out of that contract and he said he is willing if….to quote his misogynistic ass, the little doll plays next Saturday night and sings more of the songs. He claims if we bring in enough money he'll let us go…so please?"
After Suna's request, the pause was very loud, pounding in Semi's ears. He regretted agreeing with the idea of simply asking you about it. Damn, he shouldn't have let Suna and Yamaguchi call you for this.
"I really can't…. I have auditions and stuff," was your timid answer.
"Please Y/N," Tadashi begged, "We'll even invite you to Suna's uncle's lake house…free of charge.."
"Yeah, we are going there after Yamsie comes back from your orchestra tour… it's really nice, "Suna agreed, "I'll send you pictures to convince you…."
"Yeah, and for now, you are not involved with any orchestras since you have not heard back from the auditions you have been doing…." Tadashi spoke up, then his eyes widened, realizing that he may have hit a sore spot.
Indeed, the voice with which you answered him was small and quiet, "I'm still auditioning for some….you know…but thanks for believing in me….Yamaguchi."
"I'm sorry Y/N, "the freckled boy said, "I'm sure you'll get your call back…how can we convince you otherwise?"
You scoffed at the other end of the line, "The only way to convince me to do this is if you perform Billy Joel with a cajon, acoustic guitar, and melodica in matching …maybe color coordinated outfits." you sighed deeply, then added, "Sorry guys I gotta go…I have to practise… alright….bye."
Tadashi's finger interrupted the beep at the end of the line, and he looked around the room. Suna was fiddling and typing frantically on his phone, surprisingly focused and serious for some reason, so the only eye contact established was with Semi.
"You said nothing to her…." Tadashi said, "I'm sure you could convince her."
I don't want to. Semi thought. It was his mistake that he didn't read the fine print in the contract. It was rather him slaving a bit for Daishou than you performing for the git once.
"Can't you play the Bass part on your keyboard…I know we haven't talked to Teru after what he did..and I don't want to…but we need a bass line." Sami sighed, ruffling his hair, and glanced at Suna, "Dude, what's gotten you so serious."
With a slight smile on his lip, Suna put away his phone. "I just got a message from my Uncle…we need to get out of Daishou's contract as soon as we can, guys, maybe sacrifice an offering to the god of drugs…."
"What the heck are you talking about Sunarin?"
Suna leaned back, eyes glinting, "So…gentlemen…how well can you two cuties play Uptown Girl?"
»»—««
These past days have been draining, to say the least. The hours after the announcement of the loss had been like a plunge into the wet sand. Sand that suddenly had dragged you into its depths, and you had not realized it had done so until you were knee-deep.
Once you had said your goodbye to Semi and had left out all the words between that goodbye and the shutting of your apartment door, you realized the pressure falling from your shoulders alongside the tears dripping from your eyes.
It was confusing why you didn't say more than just goodbye. At least this time, you had had the chance to properly bid him farewell, unlike the time after high school.
When Semi had, without a second thought of you, just packed up and left while you had been on that summer vacation with your parents. Then again, you weren't sure if it was your delusional self-thinking, hoping that there was something more for him to say to you.
You could have sworn that his hand had twitched after he'd briefly touched yours in the stairwell. The slight scent of cigarettes from his jacket. Right after he'd given you your bass, so carefully as if it was worth more than its price. In a way, it was. Bass and Guitar the instruments you two had started to learn together.
The bond between those instruments, written in the sheet music you had played, was kind of like yours, woven into scales. The piece speaking for you, instead of words that often are so hard to express.
You had poured yourself into your final exams. The practical exams were always easy but more nerve-wracking at the semester's end. Unlike a written exam, you could second guess yourself and erase and correct mistakes. The practicals were fleeting. If you made a mistake, it was irreversible.
Most of the time, you didn't even notice the more nuanced mistakes until after they happened. Then there was the row of people in the hallway, pacing up and down, looking at the rustling sheets in their hands, fumbling with their instrument cases, and whipping their heads up every time the door of an examination room opened to see if the examined student was smiling or looking like they wanted to cry.
Maybe it would have been easier to endure these exams with Kai warming your bed at night, making his French toast, and cracking his cheesy jokes. Still, you had decided to write him a short text the day after the loss.
I need some space.
Thankfully he had given you this, unexpected since he'd spammed your phone with messages from the moment the loss was announced and through the night.
Understandably, exams are stressful. I'm here for you if you need me. To talk or anything.
You were about to text him a short. Thank you for understanding when he added the dreaded text.
I really, genuinely care for you, Y/N. <3
You hadn't replied, despite your fingers ghosting over the buttons on your screen, you had not replied. It was maybe because you were guilty…no, for sure, you were guilty. After all, no matter how much you tried or forced it to happen, it just wasn't possible.
Kai was good to you. He cared. He truly did. Knew all of your quirks, the way you liked your drinks, but you were assured that soon you'd have to tell him that and eventually hurt him.
You only felt half as much, or even less than a half, for him than he did for you. And you hated yourself for it.
He had written you again, after the last exam. Not want to talk, but to wish you good luck with the audition for the Orchestra in Osaka. Unprompted, just because he remembered. On the other hand, you did not remember where he applied, making you hate yourself even more.
Good luck with that audition. I just know that you're gonna rock it. Ily
You hoped the audition had been satisfactory since your damn mind was hung up on the last word. That damn acronym that said so much in so few letters. You rechecked your phone. The group chat of the band had been silent ever since the loss. No messages from Semi, you realized with an aching heart.
The bridge, the connection of your long-lost friendship, had slowly been rebuilding itself with every practice and blueberry ice tea he had handed to you, the roughness of his fingers in yours. Eita apparently had burned it down once more without a second thought.
The tears came again as this realization hit you in the middle of the night in your small room in Osaka. You didn't want to call Kai, not hyperventilating and crying. Not after he had written that he loved you and you had not replied.
Yamaguchi was also out of the question, he'd been dumped by Terushima, and you didn't want to burden him with your crap. So you called Alma, you consoled you on the phone for a while, until she told you that she had to go because some idiot had reversed into the front of her car.
The following day, you made your way home to Miyagi. With little to no sleep and fidgety hands, you reached your home, greeted by your little brother, who was home from Shiratorizawa for the weekend. It was the stress of exams and auditions, you had told him, why you weren't able to sleep. Hence, no one at the dinner table even mentioned the puffy bags under your eyes.
Kenta, later sat down on your bed playing around with a volleyball., You were going over your emails, translating words into English since you had applied to Orchestras overseas and in Europe. He mentioned to Eita that his sister had shown him pictures and videos of the performance. Kenta also asked if he needed to beat him up for me. You declined and laughed that it was no big deal. Meeting Eita again. Kenta knew you lied but didn't say anything. Instead, he cheekily corrected a grammar mistake in your email. He swiped some pencils and papers off your desk just because he could.
The next day, Kenta dragged you out of your room and force you to go on a jog with him. Correction, he jogged, and you walked, hieving after the young aspiring athlete. Huffing and puffing after your foot slipped a little on a wet rock in the park, and you had to make a quick trip to the emergency room after wobbling back to your home.
It was sheer luck that the fifth-year med student interning at the ER was someone you knew. Shirabu Kenjirou, one year your junior in Shiratorizawa, was peeking over the attending doctor, seemingly bored at the scans of your not sprained but just bruised ankle. He was allowed to prescribe bed rest, ointment, and icing of the foot and told you he'd like to meet up the next day for shitty coffee near the hospital.
Ever the snarky asshole. It was good, however, to meet someone from your school again. Shirabu Kenjirou had been the one who had asked if you were okay that day after the end-of-school-year party. You still were eternally thankful that Shirabu made sure you got home safely since you didn't remember much from that dreadful party.
He was also the only one from the Shiratorizawa Volleyball team who spoke to you after that party. The others didn't even meet your eye. It was strange. Shirabu always made some sarcastic comments about being an idiot and oblivious to why. Still, snarky comments aside, it wasn't like he ever told you why. The hypocrite.
Shirabu had mentioned the performances and inquired about your meet-up with Semi. Analytic eyes wandered over every expression you made as if he was diagnosing an illness. Strangely, he wanted to know more about the time you had spent with Semi, kept poking for details, and wanted to see if you two had talked it out. Shirabu and Semi had despised each other in high school. It was an unspoken thing everyone was aware of.
"You liked him," he said, sipping his coffee, "Back in High School, you had a crush on him…but didn't want to admit it because you were just friends, right?"
Shirabu had spoken out the thought that you had been keeping safe back in your mind.
"How did you know?"
"Everyone sort of knew. That's why we were so shocked when you…."
"Everyone knew?" you interrupted him.
As if it was easy, these complicated feelings. You may have realized your own feelings too late. Realized too late that there had been more than sisterly affection for Eita. How come everyone else knew before you…before you could really act on it.
"It's not like he liked me back…Kenjirou, he ghosted me at the end of the school year…nobody from his friend group talked to me…."
"Well, senpai," he sighed, "There is clearly a reason, don't you remember?"
"No," you snapped a little too quickly, "There was no reason for him to ghost me like this, not that i recall…and frankly if he liked me back just a little he would have talked to me wouldn't he?"
Shirabu declared, with the last sip of his large coffee, that both of you were idiots and needed to talk, but you shook your head.
It wasn't like there was a possibility or opportunity for you to do so. Not anymore.
"Suit yourself, senpai," he said, getting up and putting some money on the table, paying for both of your drinks, "In any way I'm here if you need someone to talk to. It was nice to see you again, all the best for your upcoming auditions…If you don't mind I'd come and see your final performance. I've been following your process and you know how I like the classics."
"Sure thing, hit me up and maybe I can give you a reduced price…Wakatoshi-kun also wanted to come if he can make it."
"If he comes I'll surely come…take care… YN-san."
Back in your little apartment, you kept yourself busy, with some weddings lined up for extra money in the mornings, video calls in the afternoon and evening, and auditions for overseas.
It was a few days after Semi had called but not spoken to you over the phone, Alma had dropped you off in the afternoon in her newly repaired car, and you were still dressed in the black wedding attire since you were prepping for a video call to Vienna, going over the few sentences you had learned in German to make yourself more attractive to the auditioners.
You checked the lights and the setup when your phone buzzed, and the specialized ringtone for Yamaguchi chanted through the air.
"Y/N…you home?" his voice panted as soon as you pressed the green button.
"Yes, I am…is something wrong?"
"Thank fuck…" Yamaguchi panted, sounding as if he had just finished doing something strenuous, "She's at home you guys…."
You heard a snarky told ya so, that sounded like a green-eyed drummer you knew.
"Cool..cool…, so look outside your balcony," Yamaguchi said.
"What?"
"Look. Out-side. Your. Damn… ball-co-ny..…" he stressed every syllable. You went over to open your balcony, looking out the railing, and saw three young adults in a semicircle.
"What are you doing in front of my home?" you talked on the phone.
Tadashi's answer was first heard, from down below, then an echo from the phone," Just shut up and listen."
He hung up, and you glared over the balcony. What was that? What's going on? You were about to aggressively press the callback button when you heard the music playing. The sound of an acoustic guitar, a Cajon and melodica, and then Semi's voice, starting to sing.
"Uptown girl.
She's been living in her uptown world.
I bet she's never had a backstreet guy.
I bet her momma never told her why
You could not believe your eyes, and could not help but smile, looking down at those absolute idiots. You glanced around as movement caught your peripheral, and you saw several of your neighbors peeking out their windows and balconies at the unfamiliar sound of music.
I'm gonna try for an uptown girl.
( …)
And now she's looking for a downtown man.
That's what I am.
Semi glances up at you, showing off a sheepish smile you had seen in so many phases. Toothless, freckled, the first pimples on his upper lip, the peach fuzz he thought was nice to look at and you ridiculed.
And when she knows what
She wants from her time
and when she wakes up
and makes up her mind.
Yamaguchi and Suna joined in, giving backup vocals, howling, grinning madness as the song rang out.
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Uptown girl
The neighborhood and the audience of old ladies, stay-at-home parents, and you applauded, and you gave them a thumbs up and cheered for them...
»»—««
A wide grin spread around your face as you shook your head, not believing your eyes and ears, "You do realize that one of these days you're gonna be arrested for noise pollution."
Semi looked up, hand shielding his eyes from the sun as he spoke, "Well are you willing to host a few criminals then?"
"Yeah, as much as I love charming the bloomers off the grannies in the neighborhood it's kinda warm out here…" Suna agreed, waving widely, "You gonna buzz us up or what?"
"Gimme 5", you tried not to trip over the long train of your dress as you collected your clothes around the room, throwing them into the hampers. Then proceeded to buzz them up.
»»—««
Semi was curious, to say the least, when he stepped into your apartment. He wondered if he would find traces of your pink and lilac phase you had during early middle school or Unicorns. But he was mistaken. It was calming, tones of whites and beiges and very minimalistic…almost too clean as if you recently went through a deep clean.
There were pictures on your brother's wall, your parents, and you had gone with the orchestra from various places. It stung a little that in them, he was not present. Then again, Eita could not complain, could he?
"Are you too stunned to say something about our awesome performance?" Yamaguchi said, wiggling his eyebrows, and you laughed.
"You guys are weird you know?"
You led them down the small hallway and passed the little kitchen and bathroom doors into the one big room between the bedroom and living room. A bed, a desk, a drawer and a rack for clothes, and a door leading to a balcony, from which you had previously looked down upon them.
"So…is our host offering us something to drink?" Suna took the liberty of sitting on your freshly made bed, pivoting around a chair and taking note of the propped-up laptop.
"I wasn't grocery shopping…so all I have is tap water," you answered, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Well can you at leat offer us some fancy tap water? We are parched," Suna said and perceived Semi, who noticed that he was looking at you for too long "Thirsty even."
Eita noticed that you were wearing a long black dress, the kind of dress you'd always wear for performances with the cello.
You looked pretty, he also noted, despite the heat in the apartment. Water would be a good idea.
You came back with three glasses of water, generously embellished with ice cubes, and Suna made a big show of taking a sip.
"I needed that after walking all the way here and rolling the cajon here…I left it downstairs by the way…I suppose your neighbors don't steal instruments?"
"They don't," you assured, then furrowed your brows, "You walked? Where is that kidnapper van of yours."
"My kidnapper van," Suna said, slurping water, "Had a little ouchie…."
"Sunarin had an accident while paralell parking and the van is at the shop," Semi translated when he saw you looking for an explanation. You glanced at him, smiling as he stood in the doorway awkwardly.
"You are allowed to come in you know…" you sighed, fiddling with the length of your dress, glancing at the cello in the corner.
"Why are you so dressed up anyway….or do you usually walk around in fancy dressed."
"I actually have an online audition in a bit…so I decided to keep the dress on after the wedding," you said, "So don't mind but I'd would love if you'd drink that tap water and leave?"
"Don't you want support?" Yamaguchi asked, "You seem nervous?"
"I am not nervous," you said, voice cracking nervously, "Okay maybe I am…its…its the Orchestra in Vienna and…gosh…."
"Its ridiculous?" Semi sighed, "What if its Vienna… you're good enough…so don't be nervous….and anyway…. we're here to give you moral support….get ready… we're setting up the laptop for you…and I see you are using a extern mike…..Sunarin get to it."
"Sure thing boss." Suna saluted while Yamaguchi went and went over the sheet music with you.
»»—««
Semi watched as Yamaguchi tried and somehow succeeded in calming your nerves before the big audition. As Suna and him set up the laptop and the webcam, as good as they could without a proper tripod to work with, he glances over at you going through the sheet music with Tadashi, smiling and nodding, politely conversing about the piece.
He glanced at your palms, trying to dry off on your dress, carefully so no one noticed. He did however and your eyes met.
Semi’s lips tugged into a smile, remembering the times when he accompanied you to different auditions, mainly because he was bored at home and didn’t want to be forced to stay with his little sister and your younger brother while his mother baby sat. Back in those days you always had to wear white dresses, frilly socks and big bows. Today, the attire had calmed and toned down. Your habit of sweaty hands and lip biting never changed, though.
He glanced at the plush of your lips, a bit more swollen than usual, as you pulled the bottom one on with your teeth.
“Right…” you gulped, releasing the bottom lip and fumbled with your hands again and he decided to stand up and try to calm you since Tadashi decided to use the bathroom real quick and Suna was taking a smoke break on the balcony.
“Pix,” he said, transfixed and noticed then he spoke out loud, “Remember you are wearing lipstick…don’t smudge it.”
“You know that you got this right,” he said, reaching out to fix the strap on your dress on your shoulders, then rested his hand there, “There is no need to be nervous….”
“You think so”
“Sunarin was right, they be stupid not to choose you.”
He saw you tilt your head, eyes questioning, something in them made him think you wanted to inquire something, something more pressing weighing on your mind. You didn’t, looked away and nodded instead.
“It’s time…” Tadashi, wiping his hand, said and rushed Suna from the balcony, “Let’s set up the meeting.”
“Yeah, so I am going to be really terrible in my German, so please don’t judge,” you said, getting your dress in place.
“Since we know no word other than Gesundheit in German, I think we won’t judge.” Semi grinned and you smiled at his dimples showing. A calming sight.
Taking a deep breath, you pressed the call button and started an awkward conversation in the other language, that transitioned into English. Thankfully more fluent and for them more to understand.
The people on the other side, which the three boys perched on the bed could not see as the laptop was facing the other way, inquired about her studies, asked some questions about the out of school practical experiences then urged you to start the piece. Saint-Saëns: cello concerto no. 1 in a minor, op. 33.
The sound of the mellow instrument you seemed to have mastered, filling the minimalistically styled room of your apartment. Growing and echoing from the walls and resonating, bombinating in Semi’s chest.
Suna, closed his eyes enjoying the tune while Tadashi, kept on nodding encouragingly to you. However, you seemed just as lost in the melody as Semi felt he was being pulled into. The deep well, an ocean of something that was beyond words.
Your eyebrows, scrunched in bliss and creased with the pull and push of the movement, the fingers dancing on the metal alloy strings. Prancing and lurking out the melody. He leaned forward, wanting to see more of you, capture every moment that was happening, as Semi feared that it was a fleeting form of magic that was happening here.
Your eyes, fluttered open. And for a moment met his gaze. A magic moment that slowed time, where he saw that this was it. Bliss and happiness for you and he understood, understood once more that music was indeed a gift bestowed on you all. And he was just thankful to witness it.
As you finished the piece, it was hard not to cheer. Technically, the three of them weren't allowed to be in the audition room so Tadashi and Suna did jazz hands to cheer the end and you, breathing a little heavy, smiled brightly conversing in German thanking them for their time. At least Semi thought you said that. Then closed the laptop and looked at them. No, you grinned proudly looking at him. Eita.
»»—««
"Wow, Veto… that was really nice." Suna was the first to wake up from the stupor that had entranced your little life audience. Tadashi gave you encouraging nods and thumbs up, commenting on good bow technique. Still, somehow at this moment, nothing more drew you in more than the proud smile on Eita's face. "Good job, Pix," he murmured.
At the same time, Tadashi explained to Suna the differences between bow holding with the artificial gerbera flower on your nightstand.
"You think?" you sighed and rested your head against the wooden body of your instrument.
"Yes, it was, "he simply said, and his lips quirked up, "I mean it… But you know that you were good, it's written all over your face…stop fishing for compliment."
There was no malice in his jabs. The corners of his eyes crinkled, and you saw the hint of a dimple on his cheek.
"I'm just not sure if it's good enough for Vienna…."
"Vienna can suck it if they don't take you…what do they have anyway?"
"Overpriced delicious chocolate cake and culture?" you quipped and saw that the dimples were still there, a swivel of something in his eyes while his mouth was still smiling, "Well, you can have that here too…."
"Eita, are you offering to bake?" you laughed, thinking of the baking disaster in home economics class in High School. He and Yamagata were pranked by Tendou and ended up with salt in their New York Cheesecakes instead of sugar. "I doubt that would sell…."
You turned to Suna and Yamaguchi, "Are you guy satisfied with that tap water or do you need more?"
"Best tap water I had in a long time," Suna hummed, stretching on your bed and looking around, "I am hungry…can we order food? Why is there hardly any decor on your walls, Veto? Kinda sad, good for acoustics, I guess."
"I had some decor…but like I am moving in a few months since I am graduating…."
"Well, so is Tads and his apartment is still twelve flavors of chaos and destruction."
"And plants," Semi added
"And plants," Suna agreed.
"Why do i get the feeling you guys are discriminating against my plant?" Yamaguchi grumbled.
"Nooooooo neeever," Suna drawled, swirling his tap water like some whiskey, "I love discussing socio economics with that snake plants of yours…Penny was is?"
You put your cello away safely, listening to the chatter of Yamaguchi defending his plants to smirking Semi and Suna, the conversation light despite the rising heat.
"Actually, you know what," you grinned at them, in a very light mood, "I might have some ice cream in the freezer…. let's have some on the balcony.."
»»—««
So that's how they all sat, prettily squeezed next to each other. You and Semion were on one side while Suna and Yamaguchi sat across, enjoying the multicolored and multi-flavored popsicles. You had changed into shorts and a tank top and weren't sure if it was such a good idea now that your skin pressed into Semi. Luckily, you could distract yourself by laughing about the wildly exaggerated story about Suna's accident and why his van was at the repair shop.
You noted how Yamaguchi was not all there, he laughed, but he was distracted more than attentive. He didn't even notice how there was a puddle of popsicles on his white tennis shoes. Your eyes darted over to him and glanced at the bandmates who gave you unreadable glances. Communicating that they had an idea of what was going on but had failed to achieve full clarity.
Tadashi sighed, let lose the ponytail, and ran a hand through his long longs before murmuring, "I think I want to cut my hair…."
"But you wanted to grow it out for so long…" you murmured, remembering the conversation about him wanting to imitate David Garret.
"I know…." he sighed," Maybe I'll just color it?....I dunno….I just feel i need a change…."
"I can do half and half," Suna suggested.
"I would not let Sunarin close to anyone's hair," Semi said, "He does drum stick tricks with scissors."
"Only for you, baby girl," Suna snickered, then softly kicked Tadashi's shoe from the side. "So you want a change after the whole Terushima Shabang….good…you should do that…show him that you don't need him."
"I would…but the fact that he is not even communicating makes it hard, yenno…." Tadashi's stern gaze found you, "I haven't talked to him at all….he doesn't read my messages and he had blocked me on all social media without an explanation."
You stiffened, knowing the feeling all too well. The feeling of hanging on a single thread. Like a puppet dangling after all the other threads had been cut.
His eyes started to water up, hands with the phone shaking as he croaks out, "Well turns out that he just unblocked me…."
"He has?" Semi glanced at Suna. The drummer's eyes widened for a moment, then he proceeded to move and took the phone from Yamaguchi and showed the screen to you two.
Terushima had removed his pics from his timeline with Tadashi. He deleted everything actually and uploaded a few new ones. Couple pics. Him touching and kissing Hana, the girl you met in the bathroom who had been fawning over Semi. The same Semi who shared a look with you and Suna.
Suna sighed and wanted to pat Yamaguchi on the back but failed because he stood up shakingly and went inside.
You got up quickly, going after him, and pulled his hand, pulling him back into a hug. Which Tadashi gladly accepted and buried his face into your shoulder.
"Tadashi…I am so sorry," you murmured, running a hand over his back as he started to sob.
"I know it hurts," you mumbled, noticing from your peripheral that Suna and Semi stood in the doorframe of the balcony, watching you. "I know that…but we are not letting this thing bring you down."
"We're not?" Tadashi croaked, voice heavy with a tear.
"Naa… we're musicians….we are gonna go do what musicians do "you said, smiling as you took his face in your hands, wiping tears with your thumb.
"That is?"
"We, Yamaguchi Tadashi. “ You said, taking his hand, “are going to let the whole world know how you don't need him.”
You smirked up at him, “ We're going to write a song about him.”
For the shy readers, consider interacting with an emoji
🕺-uptown girl is a jam
🙃-wtf y/n
🥤-TAPWATER 4 LIFE
🚐-what happened to Suna's van?
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