Once a band, always a band

Chapter 3

“We’re back everybody!” Kyouka called loudly, a big smile on her face and much more cheerful expression than he had last seen. “Thank you guys for coming out tonight.” Her voice dropped an octave, sending shivers down Katsuki’s spine as she said lowly into the mic, “And I’ve got a surprise for you.” Kyouka strummed the guitar and with a sweep of her arm, she stepped aside so the spotlight shone on Katsuki. “Ready to rock, Ground Zero?”

Shocked gasps resounded throughout the building and the volume of voices rose, necks craning to see the famous hero onstage.

“Hell yeah, I am!” Katsuki howled, arms a blur as he hit the drums and cymbals in a mini drum solo.

She smirked, letting his energy seep through her. “Let’s do this.”

The audience cheered and whistled as the music started.

“Hit that, hit that snare,” Kyouka’s eyes locked with his, challenging him to meet her pace.

All the tension between them disappeared as the night went on, and by the end, she couldn’t stop grinning like a maniac. Kyouka had almost forgotten that there was hardly anyone who could match the intensity he had when he played. She was sweating, out of breath from dancing and jumping and having fun, feeling like a high schooler again.

After a deafening standing ovation, an encore, and minutes of bowing and waving to an adoring crowd, they were free to wander the venue after putting away the instruments. She had tapped his shoulder and stood on her tiptoes to yell into his ear, “You were amazing out there!” Her voice was a little hoarse, but its raspy sound went straight to Katsuki’s core.

“The fuck else’d’you expect? Trash?” Katsuki’s heart was pumping in exhilaration, and he had completely forgotten about the pain in his side and the stress of his assignment. It was on par with the high he felt exploding through the air, capturing and fighting villains. Seeing her face glowing with excitement reminded him of their first performance at the school festival, and he couldn’t fight the answering smile on his face.

She laughed. “Brings back memories, doesn’t it?”

“A-Ano!” A voice interrupted and they both turned to see an anxious fan. “Excuse me, Kyouka-san. May I take a picture with you? A-also, can I have your autograph?”

Kyouka blushed a little but she motioned the fan closer. “Of course!” She posed for a few pictures with the relieved and excited fan, and she was about to take the permanent marker to sign when she stopped short, jaw dropping. “Wow. My first album.” The CD had KYOUKA on the cover, over an up-close portrait of her younger self.

“You came out with an album?” Katsuki asked.

“Oh, it wasn’t anything much. I only had a few copies released,” she said sheepishly, scrawling her signature quickly and stuffing the CD back in the fan’s hands.

“It’s amazing!” the fan gushed. “I’ve been a huge fan since your high school and college days, like when, uh,” Her eyes dropped nervously to the floor. “Uh, when you two were together --” the heroes stiffened and the fan gulped. “-- performing together!” she clarified.

She cowered under Kastuki’s gaze.

“How much would you sell it for?” he asked.