HeartBeat: Drum to Your Heart's Content

‡ Chapter 2 ‡

"So," Kuhei slowly twirled the wrapped straw in between her index and thumb as she stared at the blonde in front of her, who was happily ordering EVERYTHING on the menu.  The two of them had just escaped to a nearby cafe, and thankfully, the guy that Sora ran over was someone from her school.  Kuhei had apologized and told Sora that it called for an IOU in the future.  "What are you doing back here?  I thought you were going to visit your family first."

"Well, the thing is," Sora pointed his finger up into the air as he leaned forward closer to Kuhei, "We have business here, you know, reMANant and StepBeat, so I decided to find you~"

"..."  Cue twitch.  "Liar."

"I'm not!" the beautiful blonde flailed, putting on a puppy gaze that would have made any die-heart fan...well, die.  Or faint.  "I'm really serious~  I just wanted to see how much my Kyuu grew~"  Then he stared down at her.  "You didn't grow," he put it bluntly.  Then he stared at her chest.  "Yep.  You didn't grow at all."

"OI!" Kuhei's chocolate orbs flashed dangerously as she put on a sickeningly wicked grin.  "You know...I could always talk to Gramps about your contract and remo-"

"Now, now, Kyuu," Sora suddenly put up his hands in surrender and quickly directed her attention to the menu to distract her - for the time being -  as he sweetly suggested, "Why not try the new dessert bar~?  My treat~"

She immediately began to scrutinize the menu as she snatched it out of his hands and began to read it.  She was a glutton for treats still after all these years.  Sora was safe.  For now.

"But anyways," Kuhei glanced up, "I heard Toru-nii talking about you earlier.  Did you talk to him?"

Sora shook his head.  "Well, I don't think so," he mused.  "Unless he was talking with your Gramps or something..."

Kuhei just brushed it off.  "Well, what are you guys going to do here anyways?"

"Well," Sora leaned back, resting his elbows on the back of the booth.  "We have to do a lot of paperwork - and by we, I mean our songwriter Mikawa-dono and manager Yamaha-sensei - then we have a couple of videos to shoot.  After that-"

"I don't need your whole life story.  I'm bored already~" Kuhei stood up.  "Want something from the dessert bar?" she asked as she walked away.

"A cocktail would be lovely~<3"

"..."

"Heyy, this isn't a cocktail...this is just that American ginger ale," the blonde pouted when she returned and handed him the drink.

"I'm not letting you drink," Kuhei took a sip from her own jello soda drink - whatever the heck that was, but it tasted good.

Sora glanced over with half-lidded eyes and cracked a grin as he watched her twirl the straw aimlessly.   Suddenly, the radio in the cafe started announcing the next song,

"And now, a request from Taylor for reMANant's newest cover, What's Happening (Every Day) followed by internet sensation ShadowAmethyst's Keep Me Up."

"Look, our song's up~" Sora perked up happily.  "I love this song."  He hummed along as the song proceeded.

"Hmm..."

---

After they had eaten their fill of sweets - it was more of Kuhei eating, though - Sora and Kuhei sat outside on one of the planters.  "Well, hopefully, I can get back to the StepBeat HQ without any fuss now and-" Sora was running his fingers through his long blond hair when...

"SORA."  The affirmitive voice made the blonde freeze in his actions and sweat profusely.  He dared not turn around for fear of turning to stone, as if looking at Medusa.