Wish

After an agonizing long weekend and Monday at school, the time had finally come for Masaki to prepare for the concert. He made sure to wear his best-looking sweater, grabbed the business card and pass his father gave him the other day, and went downstairs.

“Where are you going, Masaki?”

“Nothing, just hanging out at Kazuki’s tonight.”

His mom nodded.

“Make sure you get back here before midnight.”

Masaki left the house and started his walk to the nearest metro stop. From there he would take a metro to the concert venue Maid in Melodies would perform that night. It was a different venue than the one where he saw them the first time, as well as the one he went to with his dad.

Sitting in the metro Masaki thought back to last week when he and his father rode the metro to the other concert.

“It is important to set your expectations beforehand”

I shouldn’t let my love for the band cloud my judgment.

The metro stopped at the edge of the city. From there Masaki walked a couple of blocks to the concert venue. The streets were quiet, and with every block he walked, he moved further and further away from civilization. This industrial zone was completely desolate at this hour.

He saw a building with a couple of bright lights emanating from it. A hand full of people were standing outside.

That must be where the concert takes place.

A woman at the gate checked his ticket and let him enter the building. This building used to be a big warehouse that was converted into a makeshift concert venue. The spacious layout and high ceilings gave it a really cool, industrial aesthetic, unlike most other venues. In the corner stood some old heavy-looking machinery revealing the building's past use.

When Masaki arrived, a couple of dozen people had lined up in front of the podium that was set up against the hall’s back wall. Not a big turnout for a big venue like this that could have hundreds. Masaki looked at his watch and discovered… he was about an hour early.

At least I got a place near the podium.

An agonizingly long wait followed…

He ordered a soda at the bar and had a sip.

Tonight will be the night!

It was important to keep his mind straight, this was his second and last chance the judge the band and he should be able to give them an objective judgment. After all, it was going to be a hard sell to his dad after what he did and said before. If the band turned out to be totally deficient in the studio, there was no way his dad would take him seriously ever again. No, he couldn’t have whatever admiration he was feeling for Akane Ishihara cloud his judgment.

Even then, he shouldn’t get his hopes up too much, from what Masaki gathered the talks with the rival producer were in a far stadium. If they signed a contract with them already, there was no way for Masaki to convince them to work with him instead. Even then, what would he have to offer them aside from him being in the same school as their lead singer?

Masaki sighed.

I am going to make a fool out of myself, aren’t I?

He grinned.

There is no way I’m letting the opportunity to work with Ishihara-san pass me by, even if it’s just a 1% chance.

He wouldn’t know what to do if he got rejected. Will there ever be a band as awesome as Maid in Melodies?

I need to keep my head cool now.

Soon after, the lights went dark.
The crowd of about two hundred people went silent in anticipation of what was to come.

Masaki’s heart was beating a million beats a minute.

These couple of seconds seemed like hours.

Then finally, the band entered the stage.

Akane looked as gorgeous as always, wearing the same maid-inspired outfit as the other night. Her cool and confident demeanor was in total contrast to her sweet and quirky antics in the record store the other day. If Masaki hadn’t known better he would have thought she was a totally different person.

“Welcome everyone! We are Maid in Melodies, are you ready to rock?”

The audience cheered her, after which she strum the first chord on her guitar.

“3..2..1.. Let’s go!”

Without hesitation, Akane and her band members started jamming out their first song. Ishihara san’s voice resounded through the big warehouse. The ambiance of the big space added a nice natural reverb making her voice sound even fuller than the last time. A voice’s powerful energy captured the audience with an energy like no other. The band members seemed perfectly in sync with each other, the three of them playing in perfect harmony.

As soon as they started playing, Masaki’s doubts instantly vaporized. His objective to remain sober and unbiased was instantly forgotten. His mind’s never-stopping stream of thoughts was drowned out by the spectacular performance he was watching. His mind and body seemed completely dissolved into the experience. An experience no words could describe. You just had to be there to experience it.

After finishing their first couple songs, Akane spoke to the audience again.

“I hope that was enough to warm you all up.”

“Let’s do something different today.”

Akane walked to the side of the stage and grabbed an acoustic guitar.

The drummer and bassist girls looked a bit confused, Akane waved to them

“I dedicate this song to a dear friend that is in the audience here tonight.”

Would any of her school friends have come here? Or maybe another fellow musician?

“This song is called Wings”

Her fingers gently strummed over the guitar strings. She turned her head in Masaki’s direction. It felt like the two of them made eye contact. She smiled.

Wait a second, that friend, could it be… me?

Masaki’s heart started beating faster and faster.

It couldn’t be… right?

The sweet words of the passionate ballet entered Masaki’s ears like little kisses. She seemed vulnerable… intimate. Her stoic expression from before had made place for the sweet expression she showed when talking to him at the music store.

The song's lyrics felt personal as if she was singing to the audience members directly. She was singing words of encouragement, advising them to ‘spread their wings and try to achieve their goals, even though they might face many challenges along the way.

This song really sounds like it was written for me.

Masaki felt a weird feeling in her stomach, as her sweet words kept hitting his ears, vibrating his drums. He hadn’t ever thought she could sing like this. It must be scary for her too, to show her vulnerable side like this to all these people.

Masaki smiled, he felt like he was in heaven.

After Akane sang the last few words of the acoustic song, she regained her cool prince-like allure from before. Their set continued with the same cover songs they played in their last concert.

As their liveset continued and got closer and closer to the end, Masaki felt his nerves playing up again.

I wish they could keep playing forever…

Not only because he wanted to keep enjoying their play, but because the moment of him having to go up to them to deliver the card scared him.

I shouldn’t worry, it’ll keep me from enjoying the show.

“Okay, time for a last song!”

“I hope you have any energy left since I bet you all want to dance and sing along with this one.”

The audience started chanting along with the famous anime song Akane started singing. A beginner band like Maid in Melodies can only achieve this if there really great. They are both objectively and subjectively awesome. Their energy, rhythm, melody, MCing, movements, outfits, everything radiated professionalism. They are definitely ready to get produced and record their first single. Even an entire album wouldn’t be out of the question here.

X

The song ended - the lights went on again.

It is time.

Masaki felt like throwing up.

His father had never given him any tips asides from showing them the business card.

Thank you dad…

Still, Masaki wished his dad was here since he always kept a cool head. Or at least he tried his best to make it appear that way to others. For all Masaki knew, he might feel the same exactly the same as him at this moment.

Masaki located the entrance to the backstage area and wormed himself through the crowd in order to get there before the band left.

At the side of the stage, there was a wooden divider, with a door before which stood a big muscular-looking guy. Masaki slowly made his way through him. He could hear his heart beating in his chest.

This is truly happening.

“Ehh, sir, I wish to talk to the band members or their manager.”

Masaki held up the card his father has given them.

The security guy looked confused at first. Masaki tried to explain himself better.

“I am the son of a famous producer, I was sent out to scout this band and offer them a contract.”

The guy took a closer look at the card.

“Mmm, Tsuchiya Productions, that rings a bell…”

“Tsuchiya…”

“Isn’t that the guy with the glasses? We had some bands here in the past that worked with him.”

Masaki nodded his head.

“Yes that’s my father”

“Well, let me send a text message to someone”

He grabbed his phone and typed in some words.

“Please wait here”

The guy said.

A few moments later, he got a message back.

“Please wait here for a couple more minutes, the band wants to speak to you personally.”

Masaki stood there with the security guy as agonizingly long minutes passed by.

By the time the door opened, the big venue had almost completely emptied out.

“Please enter”

The guy said. He winked at Masaki.

“I wish you the best of luck.”

With buckling knees, Masaki proceeded to enter the makeshift door.

X

There she stood - his school’s beauty Akane Ishihara. She had a change of clothes, now wearing a much more comfy-looking outfit. Her long red hair was tied into a cute bun at the back of her head. Way different than the usually neatly dressed look she had in school, wearing a wrinkle-free school uniform and an elegant ribbon in her hair.

Is this how she looks when she’s relaxing at home? So cute…

The other two band girls were in the back of the dark-ish room, packing up their musical equipment. Akane smiled at Masaki and started talking.

“HeyTsuchiya-san, what business do you have here today?”

Masaki started sweating, this was it - his moment. He had to keep his nerves under control.

All I have to do is offer her the love let… wait!

What was he thinking? The nerves must really be taking a toll on him.

The business card

He meant, of course.

“As you might know, my father is a record producer - he sent me to scout Maid in Melodies.”

“After listening to you live twice, I want to offer you a chance to work with us.”

Masaki grabbed the business card from his pocket, bowed before Ishihara-san, and offered her the business card.

“Please consider our offer.”

Akane took the card out of Masaki’s hand - their hands briefly touching each other. Masaki could feel the warmth radiating from her hands. They felt soft, aside from the guitar-playing-calluses on her fingertips.

She looked a bit surprised, Masaki could see her think.

“Thank you for the offer - Tsuchiya from Tsuchiya Productions?”

“Your father is a really famous producer.”

“I guess that’s why you are so knowledgeable about music…”

She mumbled after which she sighed.

“To be honest with you, we have had another offer from another production company that is pretty far in the making…”

“If only you were a week earlier…”

She seemed a bit saddened by the ordeal.

“I will have to discuss this with the girls and call you back tomorrow.”

Masaki had become a bit worried.

I wasn’t convincing enough! I need to put in more effort. I can’t let this deal slip!

He suddenly grabbed Akane’s hand and squeezed it tight between his.

“I… I’d really love to work with your band, Ishihara-san. Your singing is so powerful, it enchants the entire hall. The sense of melody and rhythm between the three of you is unbelievable, it envelops heart and bone. You… you..”

Masaki's face grew so red as a tomato. He couldn’t think of any other words to muster. His throat was unable to produce any more sounds.

Filled with embarrassment, he turned away to the door.

“Just - consider us, okay?”

He mumbled - his hand reaching for the doorknob.

But like that time in the hallway, Akane wasn’t going to have him leave just yet.

She grabbed him by the shoulder and whispered in his ear.

“I’d love to work with you too, Masaki.”

“I try my best to convince the other girls.”

Masaki stood there - frozen. His hand still grasping the door knob.

“One more thing before you leave…”

“What did you think about the song I sang to you?”

“You must have really been flustered…”

She giggled.

Masaki immediately knew what song she was talking about - the intimate acoustic song in the middle of the set. It seemed a bit improvised, by the other girl’s reactions. Did she really start singing this song after seeing him in the crowd?

He didn’t know how and what to respond.

“You may leave now - Masaki-kun”