Track 01 - BathRoom

WARNINGS: -none-

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'Shadow VI II I' - the perfect song to round off just less than half an hour of hyped up music. The Gazette Live's were not always that way but Kai had obviously gotten the fans riled enough to keep them going for the rest of the night ... especially from the next lot of songs they were going to perform. The girls were now beginning to suspect some kind of pattern - the ban would play a few hyped-up songs, then about now they would play a few softer, non-dancey songs to clam everyone down. Then just when the fans were starting to relax, they'd shock everyone back into madness with another round of hype. Whatever it was, they liked it. The girls always agreed that every set-list was always effective towards the audience - especially their 'Nameless Liberty' final. It was agreed since then - that concert had the most energy, and even the guys agreed.

Suddenly the stage went dark and the fans all made 'oooohh' sounds, like something had fascinated them. Then across the main stage and the extended stage, shades of green light rippled across it, like the image of water had been projected onto the stage. The dome was eerily quiet and not even a sound came from the stage. Then what sounded like faint female voices singing ... or rather sounded like chanting? It went for a few seconds, before the sound of a dripping tap could be heard. The girls made little gasping sounds to each other, but quickly covered their mouths - they were about to play 'BathRoom'.

~*~

Namurenai no wa naze? shizukesa ni yoishireteta
shimetta heya de hitori mata kuchizusameba munashiku
nemurenai no wa naze? anata ga mietakara
shiten wa nureta yuka atama wo kashigete nemutteru

Shiritaku mo nai you na genjitsu ni tada kanjou de
koe mo desazu zutto matataki sura wasurete anata ni mitoreteta

Nemutteshimaitai mezame dake wo osorete
subete wo wasuretai migatte na tawagoto ne
anata no namae wo yobu kanmoku ni ki ga fureru
yaseta kata wo tsutsumi sakenda ka hoso sugita nukumori ni

Shiritaku mo nai you na genjitsu ni fukaku kokoro obore
kuchibiru wo kami koaeta namida sae imi ga nai to shitta

Tachitsukusu boku no haigo no koe
hakidasu wake nado doudemo yokatta
tada me no mae no anata ga totemo sabishi sou na kao de
nani hitotsu dekinakatta jibun wo shinu hodo nikunda

Namae wo kureta yuiitsu no anata e kono mama soba ni ite kurenai ka
sou boku ni totte de saisho de saigo no yasashiki "mama"

Shiroi kabe ni sotto makka na enogu de anata wo fuchidotta
mada atatakai hoho wo suri nosete shizuka ni waratte miseyou
ootsubu no namida ga anata to kasanatte hitotsu ni nareta ki ga shita
mabuta wo toji nukumori ga kieru koro boku wa anata no soba de

~*~

As soon as the first verse started, Ruki slowly wandered to the edge of the lower stage; walking like he was still half asleep. Reita placed one foot up on Ruki's platform seeing he wasn't going to use it for the rest of the song - it was organised in their 'performance acting' ideas. He happened to approach the same side that the girls were on again. And just as he began to sing the first chorus, he fell to his knees and gripped the microphone tightly with both hands. While Mika in particular watched him, he glanced up at her with the eyes of someone who was broken inside. It was obviously the feeling that he was putting across in his lyrics. Mika felt herself swallowing hard when Ruki looked at her through his razored fringe. Ai, Megumi, Kikyo and Kira all looked at Mika and then back at Ruki - it was almost like he was singing to her.
He stayed where he was for almost the rest of the song but on the last chorus, Ruki stumbled to his feet and walked backwards like he was struggling. As he sang the last words, he turned and slouched onto his little platform while Reita returned to his place. Then the stage went black and the music ceased ...

Even in the dark, again Ai, Kira, Megumi and Kikyo glanced at each other and Mika. Poor Mika was still staring up at the spot that Ruki had been kneeling - it was hard to explain but she felt like he HAD been singing to her. But the translated lyrics of 'BathRoom' was not exactly a love song - more like a heart-breaking story falling in love with someone in a dream. It actually made a lump rise in her throat ... Ai reached up and touched Mika's shoulder. Now her eyes had adjusted to the dark, she could see Ai and Megumi smiling at her. Even Kikyo and Kira when she looked around. Mika smiled cheerfully and didn't let the last performance get to her - it was only their act on stage. The concert was not even half over yet.

* * *
The last song was still playing on Mika's mind, and her friend's minds for that matter. 'BathRoom' wasn't exactly the kind of song a guy would sing to girl - and for that matter Ruki had no idea who she was anyway. As they'd decided before, he recognised Mika by the flower and therefore had just picked her to sing too. Poor Mika was getting so frustrated with just thinking 'why, why, why' that she just suddenly growled to herself in the pitch-black hall and pulled on her teased-up pigtails. Her friends turned and laughed at her, realising she was thinking too much again. Kira reached over and gave her a little shove.

"Hey, you there with the over-flowing thinker~! Don't let it get to you, okay?" Kira said heartily, as Mika let her pigtails go and pouted at Kira, "It's only a song ... it's only an act ... personally I'd be thrilled he sang to me. I just wish it was Reita".

"What Kira means to say is it's not often Ruki sings to just one person. Yes he used a kinda sad song, but you should feel lucky he sang to you", Kikyo said, covering Kira's mouth and smiling apologetically at Mika, "Don't let it get to you so badly. 'BathRoom' isn't a bad song - to me the lyrics talk about falling in love with a dream, or someone in a dream ... something like that".

Mika was just about to say something when the stage lit again and Ruki was holding his 'baby' - in other words his own guitar in its red version. Some girls in the first few rows near the stage gasped and gossiped to them selves. Ruki picked up the microphone stand and carried it out to the extended stage - Reita followed and stood next him while Aoi and Uruha remained near their acoustic guitars. Ruki adjusted the strap on his guitar and glanced back at Kai, who counted Aoi into the opening of 'Cassis'.

~*~

Zutto kurikaeshiteta zutto kanashimasete bakari datta
Kitto anata sae mo kizu tsukete boku wa ugokenu mama
Anata ni fureru koto ga naze konna ni kurushii no desu ka?
Kitto onaji koto wo kurikaeshi anata wo ushinatte shimau no ga kowakattakara

Yori sou koto de nuguou to shita wasurekirenakatta hi wo
Anata wa nani mo kikazu ni kono te wo nigittekureta ne

Ashita anata no kimochi ga hanarete mo
Kitto kawarazu ai shiteiru
Ashita anata ni boku ga mienakute mo
Kitto kawarazu ai shiteiru
I will walk together, the future not promised yeah
It keeps walking together, to the future in which you are...

Tsurai koto sae wasureru kurai
Anata wo omotteiru
Aenai yoru wo kazoeru tabi ni
Kogareru mune
Kake chigai no sabishisa tsunoru dou ka hitorikiri de nakanaide
Donna ni hanareteite mo shinjiaeru futari de iyou

Dou ka kono mama warateitai
Anata wo kizutsuke sasenaide
Toki ga tatsu tabi usurete itta
Anata omoi kurikaeshitakunai
Ashita anata no kimochi ga hanarete mo
Kitto kawarazu aishiteiru
Ashita anata ni boku ga mienakute mo
Kitto kawarazu ai shiteiru
Dou ka boku dake wo mitsumeteite
Douka kono te ga tokenu you

I will walk together, the future not promised yeah
It keeps walking together, to future in which you are...

~*~

It was decided from the moment the single was released - 'Cassis' is a beautiful song. The audience just stood and listened to the music - groups of girls stood with their arms linked and swaying, while other girls with their boyfriends cuddled up to each other. Ai, Megumi, Mika, Kira and Kikyo held each other's hands while listening to Ruki sing. Any confused thoughts Mika had about 'BathRoom' were washed away during 'Cassis'. She even felt herself smiling and Ruki saw her. After the first chorus and it was just the music, he kept looking from his playing to her smiling. He just couldn't explain it but there was obviously some reason he couldn't stop looking at her.
As the song was going along, Kikyo smiled to herself when Uruha changed from acoustic guitar to his electric solo - she loved hearing it and it was her most favourite solo by him. Kira loved watching Reita - he looked so peaceful while playing that you wouldn't have thought he was such a 'guy' when not performing. Ai was marvelling at Aoi on the acoustic guitar - she always thought he was the best acoustic player and it really did suit him. Megumi also smiled while watching Kai. She was so used to him jamming and bashing away during rough songs that during Cassis he was so quiet and had a calming expression. As the song finished, the fans let go of each other and clapped; their first quiet applause since the start of the concert.

* * *
The lights dimmed a little after 'Cassis' but stayed on enough for the audience to watch the band. Ruki carried the mic-stand back to set it next to Kai's platform and to replace his guitar on its cradle. He yanked the microphone from its stand and again wiped his mouth with the sweatband. The girls had no idea what song they might play next - they just had BathRoom and Cassis but what would be next? They could never guess what song was next, even though they'd been to numerous concerts close to them. You could always however thank Kai for that - he was unpredictable with set-lists. Uruha took this time to swap his blue-ripple guitar for the jet-black one - the strings were adjusted differently per song. Aoi spend his time to quickly approach the edge of the stage and flick a couple of his guitar pics to the fans - at the opposite end to Ai, much to her disappointment. Reita fixed a couple of strings on his bass and allowed a few low groans to come from the loud speakers. Kai was absentmindedly spinning one of the drumsticks between his fingers while he waited for Ruki to signal the next song.

Ruki quickly took a small mouth-full of water from his bottle and swallowed as he stepped up Kai's platform to speak to him. Kai snapped out of his drum-stick-spinning daze and blinked at Ruki. As he leaned forward to listen to Ruki, the others watched and wondered what on earth he was doing. The audience was watching and had no idea either - maybe he was asking Kai to change songs at the last minute. Even the girls looked at each other and frowned - they wished they could hear what he was saying. Finally Kai nodded and his mouth formed a little 'yep' before Ruki jumped down and pounced up onto his platform.

"Sumimasen, I would just like to pause for a moment again. I had to ask our grand-leader for his permission to talk a moment", Ruki laughed and gestured an out-stretched palm to Kai who smiled as Ruki continued, "I'm sorry to keep stopping; I'm sure your waiting for us to get on with it but I just thought I'd take a moment of your time. You see, it never occurred to me until now ... what the significance was of 'BathRoom' and 'Cassis' being put together ... and I'm sure neither Kai or the others thought about it either".

Ruki smiled and glanced around at the confused faces of his band-mates - Uruha was standing with his hands on his hips and looking like 'what's going on?' Kai just watched and listened, Aoi was gripping the fingerboard of his guitar with both hands and holding it to his chest and Reita was just staring at Ruki, arms crossed and mouthing 'what the hell are you talking about?' Ruki continued.

"It just occurred to me tonight ... I've just told a story. Of dreaming so deeply about someone you've never met ... yet you can't help but fall in love ... even if you never see them again", he explained, looking down at the ground and then back to the audience, "Then 'Cassis' was like the happy ending ... that you will see that person again ... Now I don't know where all this is coming from, but I hope you listen to what I've just said ... because I know I will ... even if I am talking rubbish".

Ruki laughed and so did the fans. Even the girls laughed - he was right, they had no idea what he was on about, though the 'story' idea did make a little sense ... didn't it? Soon after the lights dimmed a little more and Ruki raised his right arm - Kai began the slow beat of 'Baretta' and Aoi joined him.

~*~

"ame ni nureteiru himawaritachi wa futari no tsugi wo negatte
mimamoru you ni... odayaka na kao de yasashiku saite kuru hi wo matsu"

mizutamari wo nozoki kimi wo ukabe ima mo soba ni kanjiteiru yo
sure chigau naka de kimi wo shikatta te ga ima demo itai

kimi wo tsureteiku shizukesa ga miseta
koufuku to wa yobenai soumatou wa kitto seishi no ano hi wo wasuresasenai tame

kikoeru sono koe ni yorisoeba tada natsukashisa ni tomadotte shimau
sukoshizutsu tokekonde omoidashi ano hi wo mata utsushite hoshii to

"ikanaide" to negatta
ano hi to onaji gogatsu owari no ame to sayonara wa
nidome no saikai wo nurashi yurasu no
soshite subete ga yume da to boku wo warau darou

fureau yubisaki de kanjiau asu e no fuan wa kotoba ni naranai
tada dakiau koto yori mo kokoro ni aru futari no jijitsu ga kienu koto wo

honno sukoshi datta yume no you na hibi odayaka sugita saigo no kotoba ni

"wasurenaide" to negatta
ano hi to onaji rokugatsu hajime no ame agari no sora
nidome no wakare wo tsugeta taiyou
soshite subete ga yume da to boku wo waratta hakanai yume da to

~*~

Even before Kai had started the beginning of 'Baretta' the fans screamed in excitement - because they knew that halfway through the song they would see Reita's bass solo, Kai's drum solo, and Aoi and Uruha do their duet together. Anyone who would remember the 'Nameless Liberty' Final knew what it was like to watch. No matter how many times you watched it over and over ... each time you just could not help but laugh and marvel at how well it was done.

Reita jumped forward to stand next to Ruki's platform and effortlessly blew everyone away with his rough bass playing. Not a lot of people think you can get much sound out of a bass except background music ... but Reita could make more sounds come out of it than first realised. And then Kai got his drum solo - he never failed to leave you staring in awe. Considered one of the best drummers by a lot of people, Kai would always come out with something new. Then Aoi and Uruha started - of course last time they had only Ruki's little platform to perch themselves on but this time they had the whole extended stage. While Aoi did his part first he stood off to the left-hand side of the stage, again much to Ai's disappointment. However Uruha began his part near the girls and Kikyo giggled and clapped to her-self as she smiled at Uruha's guitar skills. Then as their duet started, both of them moved to the centre edge of the stage and kept going; back-to-back like before. The audience cheered and waved their hands along to the duet.

After it was done, they both head back up the stage to their original positions to finish off the song. After the last verse, Ruki again did what he had done during 'Nameless Liberty' Final - he repeated the line 'Hakanai yume da to' softer and softer as the music itself became quieter. The girls loved how he did it; making it sound like an echo to the end and he had the strong voice to do it well. Then as the music faded out completely the stage went black again and all that could be heard was the applause of the crowd. The guys had again performed that song perfectly with much credit going to Aoi and Uruha for their little act, and of course Reita and Kai for putting that extra bit of kick into the music. The fans just couldn't wait to hear what song the band was to play next.

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NOTES:
1) BathRoom lyrics: Froom reading the translation of 'BathRoom' it seems like its talking about falling in love with a dream. But everyone has their own theory about what it means, so it's not definate

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