Chapter 1: The Band

[NPC]

Kirihara-sensei strolled down the corridor, humming an old song he and his band mates used to sing. He sometimes missed those days when he was still in the band, playing music happily with his best friends. If only the children here could feel that kind of fun when they played music!

An idea suddenly struck his head. Within a few minutes, he was already carrying a high stack of papers and a tape to glue them to the walls. It was a brochure, merrily decorated with gigantic words printed on it: 'DO YOU LIKE MUSIC? TRY JOINING THE SCHOOL BAND!'

[AlRoChan]

Sacha hurried down the corridor, nearly bumping into a bunch of biology teachers as he ran. The young man quickly mumbled a little 'Sorry' and, before they could frown and start a little 10-minute lecture about running in corridors, dashed off to the nearest room - the biology lab.

Sacha sighed with relief, but soon frowned again as he saw no one there. Where is everyone...? he thought. Just as he was trying to make out whether he entered the right room or not, his eyes spotted a brochure pinned on the bulletin board. He approached it and read the large text - 'TRY JOINING THE SCHOOL BAND!'

He quickly lost interest in the paper. Music wasn't his thing. He had tried to play the guitar, but the strings hurt his fingers so much that he quit after the second try. While he was still pondering around, the bell rang - its shrill sound echoing loudly in the still room. It snapped his mind back to reality again, and he soon realised that he was still alone in the lab. Where could everyone be...? He curiously checked his schedule and stared at it with terror. So now he's supposed to take Maths and not biology?! Hurriedly, Sacha grabbed his books and ran to the maths class, hoping his teacher would forgive him - again.

[Salvare 000]

Ren looked to a big brocures that's sticked to the wall as he walked along the hall. 'DO YOU LIKE MUSIC? TRY JOINING THE SCHOOL BAND!' was written on it and somehow it attracted him to read more about it but the bell rang and he need to hurry to go to the class or else he must served a punishment from the teacher.

As he ran to the class he saw his classmate, Sacha, running to biology lab. He frowned and nearly called him but the person's already enter the false room and the teacher already arrived at his class and gave a glare at Ren who's standing in front of the door, signaling to enter the class imidiately. Ren sweatdropped and sat down on his seat.

[angelwithoutwings07]

Mio walked along the hallways, chatting with her friends. She was about to move to another class when a pinned poster caught her attention. She read it to herself as she approached the bulletin board.

Music? School band? She used to play the keyboard. Well, for a few months before she totally lost interest. But now she began to consider learning it more. Maybe... Just maybe... this school band thing can be quite interesting?

Well, there's nothing wrong to check it out later... That is, after class of course, she thought, racing to catch up with her classmates.

[Mokona Modoki]

It was lunch break. Sakurazaka Akane was walking along the corridor, carrying her bento that warped in red clothes, when some papers attracted her. She stopped and started to read them. They were brochures that were glued everywhere untidily. It must be a teacher who had glued them since no teacher had been complaining (yet).

DO YOU LIKE MUSIC? TRY JOINING THE SCHOOL BAND!

She stared at the big words.

Oh, they're brochure of the school band. So it must be that Kirihara-sensei who put them everywhere....

[ichigo-usagi wizu]

When the lunch bell rang through his ears, Takuya immediately dashed for the cafeteria. he ignored people trying to greet him and straight out for his favorite- the curry bread. upon reaching the counter he skidded and with a loud shout, ordered three of them. happily chomping on his food he walked his way back and noticed the big, untidily placed brochure on the wall. it's like an advertisement for the school band... do they even exist anyway?

well, no use worrying. he had already have troubles in his hands with his parents away for yet another expedition of theirs and gramps with his dojo. great... he actually was a fan of bands but he can't get any busier.

[Reika]

Hiro yawned and leaned his chin on his hands as he tried to keep his attention on the teacher's lecture. It was the period before lunch and he was eagerly waiting for the bell to ring and signal the coming of freedom from classes for awhile. His dark brown eyes slowly shifted to the clock that hung above the blackboard. Five more minutes left. The third year student frowned. Last time he checked there were six minutes left of class. He slumped down in his chair and laid his head on his desk. Time always goes by so slow whenever he wants to quickly get out of something. He closed his eyes and allowed the teacher to drone on about something having to do with slopes and some strange equations. He hated calculus stuff...

He nearly literately fell asleep when the bell rang. He was the first one to shoot up from his desk, gather his things and dashed out of the room. He heard his teacher shouting something about not being allowed to run in the hallways, but he just ignore it. His mind was on his stomach and food at the moment and wouldn't bother paying attention to anything else. Arriving at the cafeteria, he went ahead to the counter and placing his order of some curry pork buns and some grabbing some milk while he was at it, went ahead and started going out of the room. There wasn't a better place to eat than to eat on the roof top. A couple of his friends and teammates would be there also and they would all seat and chat while talking about basketball pratice afterschool and the next upcoming game.

While he was walking, he noticed another male student staring at something on the wall. He too, decided to stop and take a look.

'DO YOU LIKE MUSIC? TRY JOINING THE SCHOOL BAND!'

Hiro raised an eyebrow. There had never been a school band at the school before. At least not as he could remember. He wondered who could have suddenly gotten the inspiration to create one. Probably the music teacher for something. He stood there staring at the words for a bit, pondering over the question: 'Do you like music?' His thoughts trailed all the way back to elementary where he used to play the violin. He recalled the days when he would play for his mom and remembered her smile as she praised him for his performance and gave him advice on how to improve his playing here and there. He did enjoy it back then, but he hadn't touched the violin since middle school. Right now he was a senior in high school enjoying his sporty lifestyle. Playing basketball meant a lot to him. It was his idenity at school as the boy's basketball team captain.

"Hey, are you interested?" Hiro turned to ask the student standing next to him with a friendly smile.

[ichigo-usagi wizu]

Huh- who, me? Takuya asked, appearing dumbfounded Aq he kept munching mo his food. "well, kinda. but my life's had been busy enough" he answered not realizing it was the basketball leader Hiro himself.

[Reika]

Hiro nodded at the other student's response. "I see." Even though he had no idea why the student in front of him had so much on his hands, he could at the very least understand how it felt to be so busy. Of course he had school to deal with and with this being his last year of senior high school, he had to also focus on trying to get himself into a decent college. Then there was also his basketball team he had to take responsibility for. Not that he had much of a problem with it. He was Sugahara Hiro afterall. The ever so fun loving person who never let anything stressful to get to him and keep him from enjoying himself everyday. His motto was to always be joyful and enjoy life no matter what comes your way.

"So, what's your name? I don't think I've met you before," Hiro questioned the male. Making new friends was also a way to enjoy life. Afterall, what's the point of enjoying it when there is no one to help do it with you?

[ichigo-usagi wizu]

"Mm, I'm Takuya, Hasugawa Takuya" he introduced himself. Hm... if he's not wrong, he had seen his face in the school catalog... but he couldn't recall it at all. "and what's yours, senpai?" he asked casually.

[Reika]

Senpai? No wonder he had never met this person before. He knew almost everyone in the third year, including those in the other classes, being the type of active and friendly person he was. The only group of kouhai that he knew were those who were involved in basketball in some way. Come to think of it, he never really gotten much of a chance to know those in a different grade than he was. This was his last year so, he should make an effort try to know more people in the school before it was time to say good-bye.

"Nice to meet you Takuya," Hiro said, holding out his hand. "I'm Sugahara Hiro."

[ichigo-usagi wizu]

Then realization came to Takuya. He's Sugahara Hiro! THAT Sugahara Hiro who had been a gossip among girls in his class! Takuya was so dumbfounded that he stared blankly at the idol-figure before the bell finally rang.

"gotta go!" Takuya exclaimed in panic as he hurriedly left the place.

As the next class was in the lab, he ran straight to his locker and reached his pocket for the key. He put his hands inside only to notice that it was gone. Did he drop it? he even put the key for his bike there! but first off, the lab coat! he's Totally doomed!

[Reika]

Hiro blinked in puzzlement as the second year made no other motion other than just standing there staring at him. Was there something on his face or what? Maybe it was something that he said? Determined to find out the cause he recalled all the things he said since he met the boy a few mintues ago and started searching through them. He hardly even got anywhere with his thoughts when suddenly, the bell rang.

"Gotta go!"

"Eh...?" Hiro didn't even have the time to react when Takuya dashed off down the hallways. He scratched his head in a most confused manner. He'll go find the male again after class and confront him.

He started walking away from in where the advertisement was, but stopped once he felt that had he kicked something with the tip of his shoes. Looking down, he saw a rind of keys on the floor. Picking it up for a closer observation, Hiro noticed one of the keys to be for the school locker. It must have been Takuya's, who must have dropped it when he was rushing away. The student might need it before his next class. After trying to remember where the second year lockers were located, Hiro started off, hoping to find Takuya before class.

Luckily, as an athlete, he was fit and had the speed. In no time he was at the second year lockers and found Takuya still standing there. "Looking for these?" he said, holding out the keys to the other student.