Pop Rock Love

by Raine Koh

  “So who got into the top three in this week’s Oricon Chart?” Mimi asked, looking around.

  “Third is Namie Amuro, second is Orange Range and number one goes to B’z. But Mimi, the reason why I am so excited is because the Fire Boys will be performing later.”

  “What!” Mimi exclaimed. The production assistant shot her a dirty look. Mimi bowed apologetically for her outburst.

  “Really? So that means the Fire Boys will perform here?” Mimi asked in a hushed tone.

  Yamada nodded and smiled brightly. “I can’t wait. Their single is not officially in the charts yet, but they are under the ‘Hot Entry’ category, meaning that they are predicted to enter the charts when the song is officially released next week.” Mimi didn’t really understand what Yamada was babbling about and just stared at the currently empty stage in shock.

  Mimi tried to reason within herself: the audience will be clothed in darkness. And I am not even sitting in the front, the artiste won’t be able to see us. After all, they were only singing one song, and they will be too busy facing the cameras. “Yamada, I think I need to use the bathroom,” she whispered.

  “Don’t be silly, it’s starting soon.”

  “My stomach hurts,” she protested, trying to stand up. The lights in the studio suddenly dimmed and an excited buzz rose from the audience.

  “The show has started. Hold it in,” hissed Yamada, using her hand to force Mimi to sit down.

  Music Stage’s two hosts, a male and female pair came on stage and greeted everyone. “Good evening, I am Hiroki,” said the male host, bowing slightly. “And I am Masumi,” said the lady, who was dressed in a black cocktail dress. “Welcome to Music Stage!” they both cried in unison while the audience was prompted to clap. Hiroki proceeded to say, “Today we have another exciting show for you. Will B’z be able to hold their number one position this week? Or do we have a new contender? Before we dive into this week’s music charts, we are going to introduce the ‘Hot Entry’ acts. This week we have the Fire Boys, Koda Kumi and Alice Nine.”

  Loud cheers were heard from the audience, mostly from teenage girls and Yamada. Mimi felt as if her heart was going to burst. The hosts continued talking, “Please give a warm welcome to our first performance by the Fire Boys as they present ‘Love Love Night’!” The audience exploded with even louder applause as the Fire Boys walked up on stage. Mimi’s hand reached out to grab Yamada’s when she saw Yuki among them. They were all dressed in bright gold, boxy jackets and black top hats. Mimi just stared at his face. Was this a dream? He was smiling and joking around with his members and he looked better than she remembered him. Yuki shone when he was on stage. Maybe it’s better this way, she told herself. They both belonged to different worlds. The Fire Boys got into their positions and they started to sing and dance to their upbeat, disco-influenced hit track “Love Love Night”. The audience seemed to be familiar with the various hand actions and chants. Mimi felt totally lost.

  Then somewhere during the chorus, she wondered if she imagined it, Yuki stopped dancing and looked at her direction. Mimi blinked twice and there he was, standing still, looking at her. The rest of his members were dancing in sequence but he just froze. Did he see her? She wanted to shout his name. Then Jiro walked up to him and put his arm around Yuki, blowing gently in his ear. The fans grew ecstatic with this display of affection and Yuki quickly came out of his daze. He completed the rest of the song without mishaps and Mimi wondered if he really did see her.

  “Yuki was looking at you,” said Yamada, after the show was over.

  “He was? Who is Yuki?” she asked, trying to move quickly with her crutches. She was waning from the determination she felt in the morning and she didn’t want to burst into tears in public. They were both walking into the elevator when her mobile phone rang. Mimi answered the phone. “Hello?”

  “Mimi...” his voice whispered.

  She was standing in the elevator when she saw him in the distance, standing in the hallway. He was holding on to his cell phone, dressed in a white shirt and black jeans, looking at her. The next moment, chaos and high-pitch shrieks broke out when the fans realised that their idol was standing among them.

  Yamada yelped as the lift door closed. “Wasn’t that Yuki?! Quick, open the lift door!” She started to bang on the lift door. But it was no use. The lift was going downwards.

  Mimi’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

  This is hopeless, she thought.

  Track #6

  Jun marched into the Fire Boys’ waiting room with Yuki trailing behind him, and cried out, “What were you doing wandering outside? You were almost stomped to death! You’re not a kid, but why are you behaving like one?” Jun held his temples and sighed, “I am having a headache. Jiro, can you talk some sense into Yuki? Where are the other members?”

  Jiro was sitting by the dressing table, knitting and looking rather bewildered by their manager’s outburst. “They’re taking a shower. Did something happen?”

  “I’m sorry Jun, I just needed to check something. I won’t do it again,” said Yuki, bowing at Jun. His manager shook his head and sighed again. “I’ll look for them. Jiro, make sure he doesn’t leave your sight!”

  The frazzled manager left the two alone. Jiro just shrugged and continued knitting. Yuki sat beside the shaggy-haired boy and shut his eyes. “I really messed up.”

  “It’ll be okay. Do you want to talk about it?” asked Jiro, stopping his needlework and looked at his group mate.

  “Thank you for helping me with the performance.”

  Jiro turned his attention to his knitting, “You were looking at the cat, weren’t you?”

  “Cat?”

  “That girl. You were staring at her while we were on stage. Do you know her?”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “Is she the reason why you have been so distracted lately?” Jiro asked.

  “Yeah,” answered Yuki. Jiro stopped knitting and looked up. Yuki noticed that he was making a black stuffed cat.

  “Do you like her?” Jiro asked.

  “I think I love her,” he said, burying his face in his hands.

  “So what are you going to do now?” asked Jiro.

  “I don’t know.”

  That night, Yuki sent her a text message.

  I was surprised to see you today. Is your leg okay?

  That’s it, Mimi thought as she read the message in her bedroom. He probably thinks I’m some stalker fan. Part of her was happy that he spotted her in the crowd yet another part would rather that he didn’t. “I’m going crazy,” she muttered to herself. She limped out of bed and walked into the living room. The apartment was dark except for the light in Sato’s study room. Does he ever sleep? Mimi wondered. It was past midnight but he was still working in the study room. She decided to retreat back to her room but accidentally knocked against the coffee table.

  “Ouch!”

  “Mimi, is that you?” he called from the study room.

  “Yeah.”

  “Come up for a moment.”

  Again, he spares no thought for my ankle, making me climb the stairs on a regular basis, she thought. Even though Mimi could walk better now but still, she didn’t think she should be climbing the stairs so often. Sato was in his study room, sitting by his white laptop, typing some emails and smoking a cigarette. His hair was slightly messy and he was wearing a black singlet and jeans. Mimi walked over and sat on the sofa.

  “How are you? I heard you broke down at the studio today,” he said, his eyes never leaving the laptop screen.

  “Nothing, maybe it was the crowd. I do get claustrophobic,” Mimi mumbled, scratching her head. Sato let out a short laugh. “You lie terribly.”

  “What?” she cried.

  “You don’t have to worry about Jiro, I told him not to tell anyone that you’re living with me. That kid can keep a secret,” he said.

  “Thanks, I guess,” mumbled Mimi.

  “But if you want, I can arrange a meeting w
ith Yuki.”

  “NO!” Mimi shouted and stood up against her better judgment. A sharp pain ran through her leg and she stumbled back on the sofa.

  “Are you alright?” he asked. Sato took a seat next to her on the sofa. “It’s obvious you still have feelings for him, so maybe it’s best if you two sit down and talk it out?” he suggested.

  Mimi was not used to Sato’s gentle tone. Somehow it made her want to cry again. Her face was soon wet with tears. “He abandoned me, Sato.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “He just left me, without a word. I didn’t even know who he was, what he did. I think he made it very clear how he treasures our so-called relationship. He doesn’t care and I’m the stupid one who’s still lingering around here... I don’t even know why I’m here.”

  Sato handed her a tissue and tried to calm her down. “Look Mimi, the music industry is messy... The pop idol scene especially. There are a lot of things happening there that cannot be easily understood. So don’t blame yourself. I’m sure that Yuki has a good reason for leaving the way he did.”

  Mimi took in deep breaths and tried to understand Sato’s words. He pointed towards his keyboard. “You want to hear this new song I’m writing? I think Filth is becoming too big for their own good, so I may just give it to one of the younger, more useless bands.”

  “You can’t do that! You have to give it to Filth!” Mimi cried. Sato just smiled and sat on the piano bench. He started to play a tune. It was the same slow, sad melody she heard a few days ago. Sato began singing a few lines.

  “Just a few days ago, I received an email from you.

  Cyberspace seems to be a little slow,

  When the real world has already erased your existence

  Are you alive or dead?

  You are still alive in my mind...

  I would willingly give up half of my life to see you again

  Even if it was just your tears, I want to see you

  The moments we shared together, they are locked in my heart

  I can only dream of you

  I can only dream of us...”

  His voice was deep and soothing, yet the lyrics were so tragic. “Please sing it again,” she whispered, closing her eyes. Mimi was tired out from all her crying and soon drifted off to sleep on the sofa. Mimi woke up a few hours later to see Sato switching off his laptop. The time was 7am and he was putting on his jacket.

  “Are you going to the office?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.

  “Yes, go back to sleep.”

  “Wait!” Mimi exclaimed, reaching out. She grabbed the edge of his jacket. Sato stopped and looked at her.

  “Can I go with you? I won’t create any problems... I just... Cannot... Cannot stay home today...” she said with her head hung low, expecting a ‘no’ from him.

  “Sure, but Filth is having a day off today, so you won’t be seeing them,” Sato said.

  “That’s not a problem.”

  “Go and wash up then.”

  Mimi looked at her own reflection in the bathroom. She looked a complete mess. Her eyes were dry and her skin looked blotchy. She shouldn’t face the world like this, but then staying home would cause her to think too much. She was afraid that she might end up replying Yuki’s text.

  Mimi wore a pink hoodie and a black skirt. Pulling the hood over her head, she looked down at the cast and wondered when she could ever wear proper shoes again.

  “Are you hungry?” asked Sato. He was wearing a black jacket with a white T-shirt inside, paired with blue jeans.

  “Not really. Do you always go to the office this early?”

  “Pretty much, do you know how many bands I handle? The company will crash if I’m not there.”

  “Right...” Mimi said, too tired to argue. She limped to the door with her crutches.

  They both sat in the car, with music from Filth blasting through his car stereos.

  “Is this a raw demo of their latest album?” Mimi asked, suddenly cheering up.

  “Yeah. Sounds alright.”

  “It sounds awesome.”

  “You’re such a groupie,” said Sato.

  Mimi wrinkled her nose but there was something he said last night that she was curious about. “Sato, I was thinking about what you said about boy bands.”

  “What did I say?” he asked, turning a curb.

  “You said something about how it’s complicated. I think I’m starting to understand a little. I mean, members in boy bands are not supposed to date right? Is it the same with Filth?”

  “Not exactly, since Filth is a rock band, they are expected to be obnoxious. But the company still has to make sure that they don’t get anyone pregnant or kill anyone, you know?”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes, these rock guys are a hundred times crazier. But the management surrounding the boy bands is a hundred times stricter. You know what’s taboo in a boy band?”

  “What?”

  “They cannot fall in love. Or at least make it public... Until they are 30 or something.”

  “You really know a lot, Sato...”

  “Of course, do you know who I am?” he asked, snidely.

  “We’re here at Niji records!” Mimi exclaimed, trying to change the subject.

  “You’re retarded. Do you need a wheelchair? I can get one for you.”

  Mimi scoffed at his suggestion. Surprisingly, he wasn’t the first one at Niji Records. The security guards were around and so were a few other employees. Everyone greeted Sato politely. Mimi made a mental note to Google on Sato one of these days.

  “So what will you be busy with today? It’s a Saturday right?” she asked.

  “I’ll be down at the recording studio with this new band, Vizard. They will debut probably in September.”

  “Are they any good?”

  “They are pretty awful.”

  “Then why do you sign them on?”

  “All the bands start off as awful, that’s why they call me King Midas.”

  “Who did?”

  “Time Asia. I’ll give you a copy later.”

  “It must be tiring to be in love with yourself 24/7,” replied Mimi. She was back at the basement of Niji Building, except that the studio they were in was much smaller. Vizard was a four-piece band who seemed to like old school Visual Kei, in the likes of Glay and some older hits of X Japan. Strangely though, they looked rather preppy for a rock band. They were wearing black-rimmed spectacles and checkered vests. After they finished their song and everyone else had left the studio to take their lunch break, Sato turned to Mimi and asked, “What do you think?”

  “I think they have strong instrumentals, especially their drummer. But the singer is kind of lacking. I mean, his voice is not outstanding or distinctive. And I am not very sure about their style, but I guess that can be changed.”

  “Wow, you are really direct.”

  “What!? I am being honest,” Mimi said, folding her arms.

  “I think that’s the difference with Singapore girls,” Sato said, turning his attention to the sound console.

  “Whatever... You asked for my opinion.”

  “Anyway, can you help me with something? Since no one else is here,” he asked, pressing some buttons on the sound mixer.

  “What is it?”

  “Can you go over there?” he asked, pointing to the recording booth.

  “Do you need me to test the sound?” she asked. Mimi cautiously entered the booth with her crutches. It was her first time in a recording booth. She looked at Sato through the glass plane.

  “Can you hear me?” he asked, pushing a few buttons on the control panel. Mimi nodded.

  “Then can you walk over to the microphone. I need to test something.”

  Mimi wondered what this crazy guy wanted. But she complied and limped over to the microphone.

  “Can you sing something for me? Any song, your own songs are fine,” Sato said, nonchalantly.

  “What? How did you know I write songs?” she asked, a
mazed.

  “You always leave your song sheets lying around. Anyway Yamada says you sing well, so let’s check you out.”

  Mimi suddenly felt nervous. But then why should she, she reasoned within herself, since it’s only her and Sato, and she had never been in a recording studio.

  “Do you need a guitar or something, you can just use that electric one in the studio,” he suggested.

  “Are you going to be recording this?” she asked.

  “Only if it’s any good. Wait a minute, I’ll bring in a stool.”