With You (Alice Nine)

...With You...

"Minna-san~~ Tora texted me. He said that we could start our practice without him because he wouldn't come; he also said that he had a problem that needed to be solved," Hiroto announced, eyeing his mobile phone screen as he punched its keypad to reply the text message, which the other guitarist had sent to him.

Nao was playing with his drumsticks behind his drum-set lazily. To be honest, as the bandleader, he felt upset about the guitarist's absence. This was not the first time that Tora skipped practice; if not, he would come late, and the band practice had always been disturbed because of that. The most frustrated thing was that Tora always used his lover as his excuses. They knew Tora's girlfriend; the lucky bitch that owned Tora and could easily control him. From the first time Tora introduced that girl, Shiori, the others had never liked her. Nevertheless, no matter what they said to Tora, that Shiori liked him merely because of his look and popularity-as the awesome guitarist of Alice nine-Tora never gave a damn about that. Already feeling tired and because they also respected Tora's decision, they shut their mouths and just let it pass.

Last night, after their one-man tour was over, they planned to go to a nearby bar. Nevertheless, Tora's girlfriend approached them, saying that she needed Tora to go home with her soon. As a gentleman that he was, he granted Shiori's wish after excusing himself to the others. The others didn't let him at first, saying that they needed to celebrate that day and wouldn't be complete if the guitarist didn't come, until Saga assured them that Tora's girlfriend was more important, that the rest of the band must understand. After muttering his thanks to the bassist, he flung an arm around his girlfriend's shoulder and left the rest of the members in front of the dressing room, uncaring about the others' disappointed looks. Unbeknownst to all of them, Saga stared at Tora's back until he disappeared from his sight regretfully. He held back his tears that silently begged to be freed that day.

"Hah! If only you were a female, Saga. This matter wouldn't happen." Nao sighed, taking a sip of his coffee, which was placed on the table before; already moving from his drum-set to the sofa near Saga who was settling his bass.

Shou stopped from pacing back and forth and mumbling incoherent words-his habit when he was frustrated, upset or if there was something bothering him. Hiroto shifted his gaze away from his mobile phone screen and Saga stopped playing random rhythms. They all paid their attentions to what Nao had just said, seemingly confused. However, the cause of their confusions kept enjoying his morning coffee.

"What do you mean, Nao?" asked Shou. He sat on the empty space near Hiroto so that he could hear Nao clearer.

Nao rolled his eyes from behind his mug then placed the empty mug on the table.

"Yeah, you all know about Tora's attention to our sexy bassist, right?"

Because the others were still wearing their confused expressions, especially Saga, Nao continued.

"You guys know that as friends or band mates, there's no prohibition to give the others attention or care about the others. Call me strange, weird or anything to have this thought, but I've always thought that Tora's attention towards Sagacchi is more than just an attention to a band mate or a friend; it's more than that, don't you think so?"

Shou hummed, stroking his chin then averted his eyes to the bassist, who was still hugging his bass, and to Nao and Hiroto.

"Wha-what? What's with all that strange look of yours?"

Saga, who suddenly became the centre of their conversation, felt uncomfortable.

"Ah! Yeah... I've just realised. Tora always cares about you, Saga. He never lets you feel hungry. He would rather not to eat in the morning, get himself hungry and give his breakfast to Saga, right?" said Shou.