a not-so-accidental meeting

The pink-haired girl kept her gaze. She held out the microphone, brandishing it like a samurai with his sword.

For a moment, I imagined her in armor - a fierce warrior with fire blazing behind her. She was cute - but tough. No denying it.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” I said apologetically. “I just wanted to hear you sing.”

The girl gave me a flat look - she didn’t believe me.

I coughed awkwardly. “I’m Daiki Shimada.” Maybe if I introduced myself, she wouldn’t think I was so suspicious.

The girl lowered the microphone, her weapon of choice, slowly. “I’m Hanako Mizuno,” She replied.

Another stretch of awkward silence.

“I’m sorry for scaring you…”

“You didn’t scare me,” She interrupted. “Just startled me.”

I couldn’t help but smile. She acted tough.

“So, what school do you go to?” I asked.

She eyed me up and down and tapped the crest on her white shirt, poking out from her pink cardigan. “You’re not from around here, huh?” She asked.

What was that supposed to mean?

“No, I’m here for university,” I admitted. “I’m from a small town you’ve probably never heard of.”

Hanako nodded slowly. “Probably not,” She agreed.

“I’m sorry,” I repeated. “I just … I couldn’t get your singing out of my head. All week -” I stammered. “I know this is probably weird, but,” I sighed. “Hold on, let me try again.”

A small smile played on her lips. “You really think my singing is that good?”

“Yes!” I said earnestly.

“That makes me happy,” She said, her voice going soft. She jerked back up after she realized what she said. “Not that it makes it ok for you to just barge in!” She clenched her fist at me; It was more cute than threatening.

I laughed nervously. “No, I guess not. In my defense, I did knock first.”

The song suddenly stopped. I hadn’t realized it was still going until the silence hit us both.

“So why are you here by yourself?” I asked. I knew it was a personal question, but I needed to know.

“Because the walls are too thin at home. I can’t practice there.”

I noticed her grip tighten on the microphone. The strength was gone from her voice again.

“Practice?” I asked.

“Singing, of course,” Hanako said as she grabbed the tablet from the table and began punching in a request for another song.

“Can I listen?”

She stiffened, sucking in a small gasp. Pink tinted her cheeks again. She avoided my gaze as she said, “I mean, you will no matter what I say, won’t you?”

I suddenly felt bad for listening at the door. “No, not at all,” I said, raising my hands defensively. “I promise, if you don’t want me to, I won't. I’ll leave you alone and never come back.”

Never hearing her voice again? The thought of it made me sick to my stomach.

“You can stay,” Hanako said finally.

I awkwardly sat in one of the seats, overthinking every move. Should I look at her, or should I not? Would eye contact be weird? Maybe I should close my eyes and listen. Would that offend her?

My mind was flooded with a million thoughts.

“In a world of endless colors, where dreams come alive, I close my eyes and feel the magic deep inside. I've got a vision burning bright, it's my guiding light. With every beat of my heart, I'll take flight.”

All of my awkward thoughts vanished as she began to sing. It was a cute pop song, one that I certainly had never heard before.

Our surroundings faded away. Gone was the shabby karaoke booth, replaced with a swirling vortex of light and color. Hanako stood before me, transformed from a shy schoolgirl to a confident singer. She smiled when she sang, every note rising like a magic spell.

My heart swelled in my chest as the music washed over me. Her voice was better than an angel's, it was like a goddess.

Hanako’s eyes glittered in the light, her lips formed every word with perfection, and her body moved to the music flawlessly.

I was caught in her spell.

Willingly trapped. I didn’t want to escape.

“Well?”

I was snapped back to reality as the song ended.

“Did you like it?” She asked.

It took a moment for me to find my voice again. “It was amazing!” I gasped. “You’re amazing, Hanako!”

The girl fidgeted with the microphone in her hands. “Really?”

“Really!” I said with a nod. It was all I could do to sit upright in the chair. How could I express to her what I had just seen? “You’re so talented.”

“Thank you,” She said.

Suddenly, an alarm went off.

Hanako scrambled over to her bag and snatched her phone. The sing-song alarm sound cut off abruptly. “I need to go,” She said.

My heart sank.

“Ok,” I forced away the disappointment in my voice.

Hanako packed up her things in silence.

The effects of her singing spell were still rushing through me. Is this what fanboys felt like? I had never experienced anything like it - except for getting over 100% on a quiz - those bonus questions were like a drug to me.

I shook my head, watching her shoulder her backpack.

“Can I walk you out?” I asked.

Hanako smiled softly. “Sure,” She said.

Was she embarrassed after singing to me? I hoped not.

We walked out of the karaoke place together and stopped on the sidewalk. A bunch of people were smoking outside the ramen place. Groups of college students crossed paths with drunk-salary men.

Shinjuku was an interesting place at night.

“Do you have a long walk back home?” I asked.

It was well past midnight now. 

I worried about a girl walking home alone. And no, I wasn’t just thinking that because she was some sort of vocal goddess. She was small and cute, and any pervert might try to do something to her.

The protective urges rippled through me. The thought of anything bad happening to Hanako made me tense.

“I don’t have to go far,” She said.

I didn’t feel reassured.

“I can walk you home,” I started.

“It’s fine,” She said. “I walk home every night.”

“Every night? You come here every night?”

Hanako nodded. “As I said, it’s the only place I can practice.” Her voice cracked a little, her vocal chords might have been strained after those high notes. She turned and began to walk away. “Well, see you later, I guess.”

“Practice for what?” I called after her, watching her pink pigtails bounce.

Hanako laughed. It was my first time hearing it. 

“Practice to become an idol, silly!” She called back, raising her hand in a peace sign and smiling before turning the corner.

I stood dumbfounded, like a statue.

“An idol?!”