My little Girl - the GazettE - Aoi -

“Shiroyama-san, it’s good to see you again.” The Social Worker called to Aoi.

Aoi broke his gaze with mine and turned to the other man and gave him a genuine smile. “It’s good to see you to Kudo-san.” He said politely, “Please come in.” Aoi offered and stepped aside.

Kudo-san nodded and stepped in with me in the follow as Aoi closed the door behind us. Kudo-san and I took off our shoes and followed Aoi into his living room.

Once we reached the room Kudo-san placed his briefcase on the coffee tabled and pulled out some papers. “Now Shiroyama-san, there are only a few more things here that are left for you to sign and I also need to have a discussion on a few more topics.” He explained, it amused me how he went from a reassuring tone with me, to full-out business with Aoi.

Aoi nodded understandingly then he turned towards me. “Would you like me to show you to your room? We’ll be here for a while and you could start unpacking during this time.” He offered politely.

I anxiously nodded. “Yes please.” I hated business talk.

Aoi chuckled a bit. “Come this way.” He said as he moved down the hall, I followed. “I’ll be back in a moment.” He called to Kudo-san.

We walked down the hall a little way before stopping at an opened door that was almost completely filled with boxes. Just before I went with Aoi into my room I stopped in my tracks and stared down the hall where there was an opened door that looked into a room. A room full of guitars. ‘Oh… my God.’

Aoi stepped out of my room, witch I never knew he even went in, and stood next to me. “Skylar? What’s wrong?” He asked me, then looked to where I was staring. He once again chuckled. “Ahh, you really do enjoy the guitar huh?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

Aoi smiled. “I’ll show you them once me and Kudo-san are done. How does that sound?”

I felt my heart pound in my chest, I turned to Aoi and gave him the happiest smile I probably ever given anybody. “Thank you!”

He looked quite surprised by me sudden cheerfulness, but quickly became relaxed. He’ll get use to it soon.

Aoi scruffed the top of my head. “I’ll be back in a moment.” He said and turned down the hall.

I fixed my hair but smiled anyway. And also remembered something. “Oh Ao-, uh, Yuu-san.” I called after him, quickly catching myself from calling him Aoi.

He turned back to me and apparently never noticed my stumble in words. “Yes?”

“Would I be able to make a phone call? If it’s okay, that is.” I asked a bit nervously, I didn’t want him to be charged for long distance calls.

Aoi nodded. “It’s alright.”

I bowed my head. “Thank you.”

Aoi smiled. “Your welcome.” He said, then went into the living room and I went into my room.

I stood in the middle of my room and looked around in amazement. My room was gorgeous. It was modern just like everything else, but it also was very girlie as well. The walls were a cream colour and the furniture was black and the knobs were silver. The centre of my headboard was red and the texture was soft while around it was black and so was the baseboard. The sheets were white and soft and the pillows were red and white. My rug on the side of my bed, -next to the floor length mirror and end table- was almost like a zebra print pattern, if it weren’t so fuzzy causing the black and white stripes to mix together. But what got me the most excited was the closet. I’ll save that one for later.

Stepping over a few boxes I moved a few packages aside and picked up the orange phone. Sitting on my bed I dialled Bridget’s cell phone number, it was almost five in the morning back home, but they all said that they’d be staying at Bridget’s house and to call, no matter the time.

I waited patiently for her to answer and preoccupied myself by unpacking the nearest box to me. Books, what a shocker.

As I picked up the heavy box –and having the phone squished between my shoulder and ear at the same time- and brought it over to one of my three bookshelves, Bridget finally answered.

There was a scuffling on the other end before the blonde’s thick with heavy sleep answered. “What?”

I giggled. “Rude much?”

Her voice immediately woke up. “Sky?” she exclaimed.

I smiled. “Good-morning sunshine.” I took out three books and put them on the top shelf.

“Oh my god hey!” she half yelled. I then herd more movement and Bridget’s voice in the background waking up Carlie and Alex.

“What is it?” I heard Alex whisper. Bridget told him it was me. “What really?!” Alex’s voice then became clearer as I imaged Bridget handing him her phone as she woke up Carlie. “Hey Sky.”

I smiled. “Hey bubba. How was the sleep I just woke you from?” I asked.

He laughed. “Good, I’m awake now.” He said, then there was also a thump in the background soon followed by Carlie’s muffled-by-a-pillow ‘ow’ and mumbled curse words, witch quickly turned into squeals once my name was mentioned.

Alex chuckled a bit. “Hold Carlie, let me put her on speaker.” There was a beep and I could now hear everyone.

Carlie was the first to speak. “Sky-ie!”

I giggled. “Carlie!”

“How are you?” she asked quickly.

“Pretty good, and you guys?”

“Sleepy.” Bridget said.

I shrugged. “I won’t be talking to long, I gotta’ unpack.” I explained, “and I don’t want Aoi’s phone bill to be through the roof.”

“You’re a healthy teenaged girl. That is your job.” Carlie said and I laughed.

“So how is he?” Alex asked.

I smiled. “I don’t know yet, I haven’t really talked to him.” I explained. “Oh! But he said he’s going to show me his guitars soon.”

Alex groaned “Lucky!” he exclaimed.

I giggled. “I’ll take pictures of them for you.” I offered. I heard him chuckle.

“How is it so far?” Bridget asked. “I know you couldn’t have had a chance to get out and look around yet, but what do you think of Japan.”

I sat down on the floor, ignoring my books. “It’s really nice.” I said. “I never really seen any of the culture parts yet, where Aoi lives in a really urban area of Tokyo, but I did see a few things on my way from the airport.” I explained.

“Like what?” Bridget asked.

I thought back. “Well, I can’t really explain it. I seen a Sakura tree, but it was green. And you know how if you goggle ‘Tokyo streets’ you’ll see these little food stands or what ever there called? Well yeah there was a bunch of those on the streets around the airport. But there isn’t much around where Aoi lives. A few though.”

I heard Alex stiffen a yawn. “That all sounds interesting.” He mumbled.

I huffed. “Doesn’t sound like it.” I joked.

“Huh?” he asked sleepily. “Ah, I’m sorry Sky, we’re just all really tired.” He explained, I heard Carlie’s and Bridget’s apologises and agreements in the background.

I laughed. “It’s alright.” I said. “I have to finish unpacking now anyway. You all go back to sleep.”

“You sure?” Alex asked.

I nodded. “Good-night.”

Alex mumbled a chuckle. “’Night. We’ll talk to you later.” He said.

I nodded. “Love you guys.” They said there ‘I-love-you-too’s back before I hung up.

I got up off the floor and put the phone back on the receiver. Looking back to the box by my bookshelf I let out a content sigh. Back to work.

Walking the little distance to where I previously sat before, I once again began to take out my books and placed them on their designated spots. About five minutes later I had the box empty and placed it to the side and then went looking for the other packages that held my novels.

I pulled the one closest to me and read the top. I pressed my lips together, it wasn’t books. Mom’s things.

I sat on my knees and ran my hand over the top, feeling the scruff of the cardboard and the slick of the tape. I let out a shaky sigh and felt the pressure form in the back of my eyes. ‘No, don’t you dare cry.’

Taking three deep breaths to calm myself, I pushed the box over to the side with the other one and went for another. This time it was books.

I sat on my butt and pulled the tape off, oddly noticing that the tape was much easier to peal off than the last box. Huh. Strange.

I opened it up and pulled out Twilight and flipped through the pages.

‘”The Quileutes have a long memory,” he whispered.
I took it as a confirmation.
“Don’t let that make you complacent, though,” he warned me. “They right to keep their distance from us. We are still dangerous.”
“I don’t understand.”
“We try,” he explained slowly. “We’re usually very good at what we do. Sometimes we make mistakes. Me, for example, allowing myself to be alone with you.”
“This is a mistake?” I heard the sadness in my voice, but I didn’t know if he could as well.
“A very dangerous one,” he murmured.’

‘Ah, here we are.’ I conformed. Sliding back until I felt my back to the bed I picked up where I last read, forgetting all about the other books. It didn’t take me long either to forget about everything else either. Where I was. Who I was. As far as I could tell, I was in my book, and that’s the best place for me to be. Reading a book, dancing, playing guitar, in all those places, I lose myself. Sometimes I never wanted to be found.

As I continued to read I never noticed the presence of Aoi in the doorway until he called out to me. “Skylar.”

I pulled myself out of the book and back into my body. I glanced up at Aoi from over my glasses. “Yes?”

He lent against the doorframe. “Would you like to come see the guitars, or would you rather read? You can look at them some other time if you wish.” He said with a smile.

It took me a moment to figure out what he was talking about but once I remembered the room full of those beautiful instruments I quickly shut my book and placed it on my bed and hopped up off the floor.

“I can see them now?” I asked.

Aoi chuckled and nodded. “Yes.” He stood up straight and made a ‘after you’ position with his hands. Witch I quickly complied to and scurried out of my room and down the hall with Aoi not far behind.

I stood in the doorway and looked into the room to scared to enter. I am now looking at Aoi’s guitars. Oh my God I’m looking at Aoi’s guitars.

I heard Aoi chuckle behind me. “I don’t think I ever seen anybody ever fawn over guitars like that before.”

I laughed. ‘Your probably uses to girls fawning over you.’ “Can I go in?”

Aoi smiled. “Yes.”

Not having to be told a second time I entered and felt my rush increase. “Wow.” I stood in the centre of the room and looked around. “This is amazing.”

Aoi smiled and picked up and picked up an ESP A-III. He walked over to me and sat down on a chair to the right. I walked to my left and sat on the computer chair and wheeled myself around to face him as he plugged the guitar into an amp and fiddled with the knobs and strummed it a bit until it was to his liking, and tuned the strings to drop-B. He started to play a few random cords while adjusting the three knobs on the guitar.

“So what are you going to play?” I asked him.

He glanced up at me. “Just something I made up. With some help, technically.” He added.

I giggled. “May I hear it?” Even though I probably already heard it a million times.

He nodded. “Sure, tell me what you think.”

I smiled and nodded as well. ‘What ever it is, I’ll love it.’

He smiled back at me and started to play and I had to put every ounce of my will power not to head bang right then and there. Hesitating means death.

I watched as his fingers slid up and down the neck and how the strings sung under them. The lyrics came in and tried not to sing. But God was it hard not to.

The song continued and I kept my eyes glued to his hands and also felt my fingers playing along, pushing them into my leg as if I really was playing it and I taped the rhythm with my foot.

I got so into the song I could almost feel myself shake from trying to keep it in. But my mouth went against my will and it started to form the lyrics, my voice soon joining in coming in at the chorus.

“This bullet is all openings
Don't forget the meaning that pulled a trigger, whoa ah oh oh.
I bet all on this bullet
Don't forget the meaning that pulled a trigger
Hesitating means death

Even if my dreams fails
Even if my throat breaks off
This song continues living
kizami tsukeru you ni...

Even if my dreams fails
Even if my body breaks off
This song continues living
I give all
This is fate.”

Aoi stopped playing and placed the guitar on a near by rack. He looked back up at me with amazement in his eyes. “You know that song?” he asked slowly.

I felt myself sink back into the chair. “K-kind of…”

“Do you know that band?” he asked.

“M-maybe.” I mumbled.

A smile started to form on his face. “Do you know who I am?” he asked while leaning forward in his chair.

I tried to sink further back in to the chair, hoping some how it would swallow me up. ‘Curse you lack of self control.’

“Y-Yuu Shiroyama.” I offered.

Aoi raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Skylar.”

The way he said my name pricked something in me. It cause a bit of my inner boldness to surface, the same way I felt when my mom sounded when ever she knew the answer to the question she was asking but wanted me to say it. But how Aoi was saying sounded less like parent authority but a bit more like a challenge. I straightened up in my seat a bit; I had a habit of being competitive.

I raised an eyebrow at him as well and mirrored his smile. “Aoi.”

Aoi sat back into his chair and smiled. “So you do know me.”

“Kind of.” I said. “I know at least what every other fan knows.”

Aoi chuckled a bit at me then grew a bit serious. “How long have you known about me?” he asked.

“You as in ‘Aoi’ or you as my father?”

He shrugged. “Both.”

I sat up straight in the chair, my nervousness almost gone. “Well, I’ve been listing to the gazette for almost over three years,” I said. “So I’ve known about ‘Aoi’ for that long.”

He nodded and looked impress. “Three years?” he asked. I shrugged my shoulders and smiled slightly. “But how long have you know about me being your dad?”

I shrugged a bit. “About two weeks.” I said.

Aoi caste his eyes a bit. “Ah, I see.”

I nodded my head and tried to push back my unhappiness until it settled in the back of my head. “But it’s alright.” I told him and mustered up the most convincing smile I could manage. I could tell by Aoi’s face that he didn’t buy it but he never pushed the subject and I appreciated that.

Changing the topic to best suit me, Aoi stood up and picked up an ESP A-I. “Now I hope you don’t mind but I did peak through one of your guitars.” He admitted.

I giggled. “Did you?”

He nodded, unashamed. “I did, and it was quite an expensive one to.” He walked back over to me and handed me the guitar and a pick he took from his back pocket. “So I assume you must play very well.” He said.

I laughed strummed the instrument. “Well I was inspired by you to start playing in the first place.” I confessed.

Aoi sat back down on his chair with another ESP. “Really?” he asked amazed.

I nodded shyly. “I always wanted to play like you.” I admitted.

I laughed and smiled sincerely at me. “That means a lot.” He told me. “I’m very honoured.” I smiled back. “So, do you know leech?” he asked.

I giggled. “Kind of.”

Aoi chuckled and played the intro with the woman singing. I quickly joined in, keeping in perfect timing with him. He laughed out. “Kind of my ass! Your amazing.”

I giggled. “Something I got from you?”

Aoi smiled. “Yeah.”

~*~

We stayed together in there for hours, just playing and having a good time. He showed me a few tricks and taught me a couple of songs that I never knew. It was maybe the most fun I ever had with an adult before.

We started to talk about random things, like guitars, music, food, school, whatever. But what I mostly talked about was my friends and he was really interested in hearing about them, and I was more than happy to comply. I went in my room and showed him a few pictures of us, most of them were of us at the age we are now, but many were when we were kids as well. He seemed to be really interested in those the most and I understood why.

It was now hitting nine-thirty and the sun has finally set. Aoi was in the kitchen ordering some take out for us, and I stood outside on the balcony. I stared out across and looked at the Tokyo’s night. No stars were out due to the light pollution, but it made it up by putting them on the ground. It was beautiful.

“Enjoying the scenery?” Aoi called from behind me.

I turned my head slightly and nodded. “It’s really pretty.”

Aoi chuckled and walked over to me and now stood on my left. “What was it like for you back home?” he asked.

“I never lived in the city before, so I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. The closest I’ve seen to a view like this was looking at the downtown harbour at night.” I admitted. “Newfoundland doesn’t really have any tall buildings like here.”

Aoi smiled. “To bad you can’t see the stars in Tokyo, huh?”

“The city lights make up for it.”

Aoi chuckled. “I suppose it does.” He said.

I laughed as well, then went back to staring at the view and Aoi joined me. We stayed quite for a little while, we listened to the sound of the traffic below us, the sound of the busying people, everything. I know knew what people met by a city being ‘alive’, because Tokyo was surly active.

“Skylar?” Aoi called to me.

I glanced up. “Yes?”

“How would you like to look around Tokyo tomorrow?” he asked me.

I perked up. “Really?”

He nodded. “Would you like to?”

I nodded. “Yes please.”

He smiled back at me and scruffed my hair again as I swatted his hand away and fixed my now messy hair. Aoi chuckled and took his hand off my head and placed his arm around my shoulder. I smiled a bit at that and kept still. The both of us stayed like that for a while, neither of us had any desire to move. It was nice, and it felt good to be like this with Aoi. No, to be like this with my dad.

‘Mom, I wish you were here with us now. I wish that you could share this moment too. Even if you’re not here with us in your body, I know your still watching. I think I’ll really like it here.’