Monday, April 6, 2009

Opus 4

When I opened my eyes the next morning, I felt the excitement rise from the pits of my stomach, out of the depths of my dreams and envelope the new day ahead of me. Today was Saturday, and I was free. I didn't have to think about taking Jessica round school or the various IB deadlines that were now already far behind me. I didn't even have Jazz Band practice today since Mr. Adams said he needed the weekend to sort out a few instrument parts. As for Yune, he had basketball practice and thus, as I reminded myself again by grinning at the bathroom mirror - the entire morning was mine.

So what was my schedule for the day? Well! There'd recently been a couple of music shops and a randomly placed anime and manga cafe that had opened simultaneously on the Orange Boulevard. I was headed in that direction and fast, since I also had a piano lesson at 3:30 with my beloved Joanie for which I wanted to get back home before to have a quick warmup practice. Yep, 'twas a busy day ahead although I'd conjured up illusions of a lazy summer Saturday. But this was the first Saturday in a while that I'd had to go around town by myself. That's not to say that me and Yune spent every single weekend together - he was busier than I because he was in his senior year - but I'd always had to go into school for some music activity or another, not to mention the paid gigs I often got for the Jazz&Blues Bar in town. I'm not the perfect, model IB student that everyone thinks I am. For starters, I don't even know what I want to do in college. Just up until a little while ago, I'd sort of been running with Pa's idea of business management. But now I shiver at the thought of doing Maths for the rest of my life. I hate Maths. Maybe because I'm not very good at it, but still.

Without realizing it, I'd already walked into the new ani-manga cafe, picked up a couple of mangas and cashed them. I seriously needed to stop zoning out and switching to auto-pilot mode. I also needed to stop thinking about depressing things like my future! I briefly flicked through the mangas I'd just bought. The 9th volume of Nodame Cantabile, the 6th volume of BECK and the 1st volume of La Cordo d'oro. Wow. It was always about music for me, ay? I swung the bag against my knees as I walked down the Boulevard. Maybe I should save the music shops for later...

Wham. "OW!" I rubbed my nose furiously. Why did I have to have such a long nose?!

"Oh whoa, I'm really sorry! Are you okay?! Did I BREAK your nose?! Aw man, I really didn't mean to - I was just standing there and -" I waved my hand in an 'It doesn't matter' gesture and returned to my bent (I'm SURE it was bent) nose. Wait a minute. Who had I bumped into? I looked up at the towering figure before me. He was the tallest thing I'd ever seen, taller than Yune even! He bent sideways to look at my nose that was now a bright cherry red and grunted. "Itss noth buroken," I mumbled. Where had I seen this person before?

"Yeah, it's probably not broken," he said, obviously quite relieved. "But it's awfully red. And long." He grinned. He stopped in mid-grin suddenly and bent forward, peering closer at my face. Simultaneously, I leaned forward to inspect his very familiar features...

"Videl?" I exclaimed. It was Videl, albeit the red-and-blue patterned bandana he always wore no matter how hot it got. But his scalp was now a shiny egg and I came to the startling realization that - "Yeah, I'm bald, shoot me." He raised his hands in the air and glared balefully at me. "...Uh.." His mouth crinkled and he was grinning again. "Just kidding. You look awfully familiar, have I seen you before?" "I-I..I-" Why the heck was I stuttering? But Videl suddenly smacked his fist on his palm. "Airi! Isaki Airi, right? Yune's girl." I nodded my head. I didn't know what to say, his baldness was just too blinding... "Shouldn't you be at basketball practice with Yune?" He smiled. "Can I buy you a milkshake? It'll give me some time to construct my excuse, Ma'am." Now it was my turn to smile. It was impossible not to like this character, and it suddenly clicked why Yune often chose to hang out with him even though he was a sophomore. "Sure, but don't tell Yune!" I joked.

Videl bought me my favourite flavour without even asking. I bet he could tell I was getting more impressed by the minute. "Oh, is this your favourite flavour too?" he asked, innocently. Taking a sip, the irresistible chocolatey smoothness reminded me of praline. "It's Yune's favourite too since it reminds him of his favourite chocolates. We're chocoholics," I laughed, taking another sip. "Then I can tell we'll be great friends," he replied, taking the paper off his straw.

"Well? What's the excuse for the promising rookie to skip practice?"
"I had a doctor's appointment."
I scoffed. "Never heard that one before!"
But Videl didn't continue the reparte. He looked serious. "I didn't want to skip today's practice either, but I guess there are just some things you're better off not postponing," he sighed.
I put my drink down nervously. Obviously I'd hit a sore note. "If it's any consolation, I have to live with a doctor and be inspected, analysed and prescribed various disciplinary punishments every day!" He looked up at me, perky again. "Your dad's a doctor?" "Mm-hm." I rolled my eyes jokingly. "He's a senior consultant urologist. Basically the oldest, wisest and whingiest kidney-doctor on the job and boy, does he make it known at home." Videl laughed, egging me to go on. And so for the next half-hour I entertained him with various stories of Pa's shortcomings and saving graces. Videl seemed quite fond of my father by the time I'd finished off, the last story being the one where Yune had let him win at chess and thus obliged him into a grudging acceptance of him.

Videl leaned forward eagerly as he'd done many times before. "I've always wanted to ask this, but how did you and Yune.." he hesitated and then waved his hands together. I quickly interpreted the action to be 'hook up'. "Why, are you one of those who thinks we're not a good couple?" Videl shook his head furiously. "No way in hell, I think you guys are an awesome pair! But there has to be a story behind it, right?" Deciding he was genuine, I nodded carefully.

"Tell me," he coaxed.

Sigh. I guess there's no defense against guys like these...

1 comment:

yuseff said...

READ & LOVED.
continue?