The show continued without pause, the band's stage energy kept the audience from taking their eyes off the musicians. But someone, in the VIP section right by the stage, didn't seem to follow that rule.
He… he's shirtless… he… has no shame, does he…? Overcome with shyness, Yukino kept her head lowered. Her hands covered her face, which was warm and flushed. She would already feel embarrassed seeing any man like that, but it being someone she had already spoken to only made it worse.
"Pink at a rock show?" a male voice asked, loud enough to hear, low enough to be directed only at her.
"Hm!?" Yukino pulled her hands away from her face, she knew it was about her, no one else was wearing those colors in that hall.
She turned her face toward the stage and confirmed that the voice was the vocalist's. Yuuki was crouched on top of the monitor speaker, square and sturdy, something he usually did during his shows. He returned her gaze with a gentle and curious look. He also gave a light, discreet, friendly smile.
The show had to go on, and Yuuki stepped down from the speaker, stood up and turned away, returning to the center of the stage. Left behind was a flustered Yukino, blushing from the exposed situation she had put herself in.
My God, this is so embarrassing… she thought, looking away to the side.
She discreetly turned her eyes back to the vocalist, who, with his back turned and shirtless, showed a black dragon tattoo right in the center. The design caught her attention and she examined it carefully.
The dragon tattoo from the first album cover… I thought it was edited… she thought, recalling the only photo she had seen of the band, where Yuuki appeared from behind. So showy.
"IT'S MAGENTA!" Yukino shouted, having reached the limit of her patience with that musician performing right in front of her.
After two intense hours, the show had displayed much of the band's skill. Setsuna had fast and skillful fingers, she and the guitar seemed like one, such was their synchronization. Yuuki showed his vocal strength not only in the heavier songs, but also in rock ballads. And now the show came to an end with thanks to the fans and the introduction of those responsible for the night's performance.
With the end, the audience began to disperse, many leaving, others trying to find an opening to talk to the members of Black Dragon. Yukino stood frozen in front of the stage, with an expression that mixed anger, admiration, annoyance and excitement. With such opposite emotions, it was understandable that anyone looking from the outside would not understand what was going on in her mind.
"Yuki! What kind of face is that?" Akiko asked, analyzing her friend's expression, trying to figure it out.
It's over… okay, he sings… insanely well… But he dances… jumps, makes faces, takes his shirt off… If he has no shame, I'll have it for him. Those were the thoughts running through the girl's mind, a mix of praise and criticism she herself couldn't organize.
"That show was amazing!" Hikaru said, his eyes shining with excitement after what they had just seen.
"Amazing isn't exactly what I thought…" Seki muttered, looking bored. Apparently, he was the only one who didn't enjoy the show.
Hikaru, still excited, looked around and wanted to talk more with his friends.
"Adonis, you said you didn't know the band, but you sang all the songs!" Hikaru said, remembering the moment he had called his friend.
"It's because Koa listens to them every day," the redhead explained.
"He's your friend!? He has good taste." Naoko commented, joining the conversation.
"You liked that, Naoko?" Seki asked, looking at her in disbelief. It was as if he were discovering a new side of her.
"Yes, I did!" Adonis answered Naoko. "If you ever go to my place, I'll introduce you!"
"Ah… thanks… you don't have to…" Naoko said, thanking him but refusing, finding the approach strange.
No, wait… she's a Potentia. If Koa finds out, this will go very wrong, Adonis thought. He put his hands on his head, realizing what he had said, feeling like his head was spinning.
"Guys, VIP lets us talk to the artists, let's go?" Hikaru invited, already heading toward the designated area behind the stage.
Adonis refused because he wasn't that much of a fan and was already tired. Seki didn't go because he didn't want to meet the guy Naoko had found interesting. And Naoko preferred to walk Seki home, it didn't matter to her to meet the band.
Akiko and Yukino were nearby and heard the invitation. Happy and excited, Akiko really wanted to meet the musicians and thought of dragging Yukino along, since she seemed frozen.
"Come on, Yukino!" she said, pulling her with both hands. "Are you shy? It's hard to approach famous people and blah blah blah blah"
It's not shyness… Yukino thought while listening to her friend's endless explanations.
They went together to the place, where they found a line of fans waiting for autographs. The three stood at the end of the line, and when Hikaru reached Yuuki, he was happy to see him again.
"Hikaru! You actually came!" the singer said, shaking his hand.
"Of course! And I brought people!" he said, shaking his hand back. "Some already left."
After greeting him, Hikaru pointed to the girls and introduced them.
"This is Akiko, my girlfriend, and Yukino, our friend."
"Nice to meet you!" Akiko greeted.
Why did he introduce me? Yukino thought, standing stiff, not greeting back.
"You're the last ones!" Yuuki said, looking at the three. "We're about to leave, want to come with us?"
"You, wanting to hang out with fans? That's new," Setsuna commented. "Where are we going? Back to the hotel?"
"No, no, that's awkward. Let's go out on the street, I saw some benches when we arrived."
"Sounds good! We're in!" Hikaru agreed.
After everything was arranged and the staff had left, the two were free to talk with the three. The starry night with some clouds and the cool autumn breeze in the early morning made the atmosphere calm and pleasant. There was no one else on the street.
Yuuki and Setsuna talked with Akiko and Hikaru about various things. Meanwhile, sitting with her legs crossed and bored, Yukino stayed a bit apart, lost in thought on a bench.
"Now I can see it's magenta, after all," Yuuki said, sitting beside her.
Yukino hadn't noticed him approaching and got startled, losing her composure.
"Oh… you heard that, huh?" she asked, embarrassed.
He was all sweaty during the show… surprising he doesn't smell… she thought.
"You shouted pretty loud. If it had been an official recording, it would've been on video," he said.
And that wasn't even with a microphone, he thought.
My God… Yukino was surprised at herself.
"Did you like the show? Last week you didn't recognize me."
"I know the first album… and you're turned around on the cover, there was no way. The show was good, the band is good," Yukino said, with a mocking tone.
"Hmm, so my vocals were lacking?"
"No, no… but you're too showy and you take your shirt off on stage."
"Hey… I just took my shirt off…" he said, uncomfortable, defending himself.
"Same thing."
"HAHA!" Yuuki let out a nervous laugh and quickly changed the subject. "Hmm… did you see there's a planet near the moon?"
"It's Mercury! It's in Aries."
"Hm? You believe in astrology?" he asked, curious.
"No, I study it," she replied, bluntly.
"Really!? I don't understand any of that! What does it mean?" he asked, smiling.
"Well… direct communication, not much beating around the bush, competitive, maybe even a bit blunt," she explained. "That's the short version."
"I see! So yours is in Aries then!" Yuuki said, smiling.
Yukino stared at him in silence, annoyed. He kept a triumphant smile on his face. She knew very well he was teasing her, but she wouldn't give in, she didn't want to lose her composure arguing with him.
"My Mercury is in Gemini. My Moon and Jupiter too," she said, ignoring his comment.
"Wow! Then you're like an ice block!" he said, still smiling.
"What!?" Yukino was shocked.
He said he doesn't understand anything about astrology and then says that… she thought, because he had actually been accurate. Gemini is not known for feeling just for the sake of it.
"I do feel things… I just think about them. It takes effort not to let things go however they want," she explained.
"Heh… I can't laugh out loud… it's late…" he said, finding it amusing how bothered she was and holding back his laughter. "Alright… you like astrology, so what's my sign?"
"Out of everything you could ask, you go with that? I'll guess Leo," she said, giving him an incredulous look.
"Leo? Why?"
"No… no… you don't have Leo hair…"
Leo hair? Yuuki thought, confused.
Yukino tilted her head and rested it on her leg. Her expression was serious, with a hint of irritation.
He has a different kind of magnetism… I'm not saying that out loud, he'll think I'm hitting on him… Yukino analyzed him for a moment.
"Scorpio," she guessed.
"That's right!" Yuuki said, satisfied. "The vengeful sign."
"You're not going to tell me you believe in that nonsense, are you!?" Yukino said, looking at him sternly. "There's no such thing. The problem is that Scorpios feel everything very intensely, but keep a blank face."
Yuuki looked at her, startled. This time, not even his ironic smile remained. He felt directly hit by what she said.
"So when someone does something you don't like, you don't say anything…" she continued "… and expect the other person to figure it out… then you get upset and say or do something stupid. Just because you didn't communicate."
After that, both looked in opposite directions. Yuuki held the back of his neck, thinking about her words. Yukino leaned slightly forward, resting her head on her hand, thinking she had gone too far.
"Okay… but it's not all bad…" Yukino said, slightly flushed, trying to fix it. "Usually, when you find something… an idea… that matters, you protect it with your life and live for it. And… it seems like you do that with music… I could feel it when you were on stage."
"Thanks!" Yuuki gave her a warm smile. "Yukino, right?"
"Yeah… like snow…" she replied, unable to look at him directly.
"Haha, that's something… Mine's Yuuki, like courage."
After that, the two talked calmly for a while, without provoking each other. They talked until almost morning, when they said goodbye. Yukino was able to sleep peacefully until late at Akiko's house.