Love Loathing and Lies

A couple of weeks had passed since the very odd incident at PSC and mostly, we had just forgotten about it. That night we had discussed it a lot, trying to figure out why Miyavi hates Kumiko so much, but all we came up with was that it was simply a bad past relationship. Now the tour was in the front of everyone’s minds. Kumiko was in meetings almost constantly with all sorts of different people from PSC, ourselves included, and Miyavi as well. We weren’t there for that particular day, but rumour around the mill is that they got into an argument and Kumiko threw coffee at the soloist. It was a busy few weeks, and we still had a few more busy hectic weeks before we would leave Tokyo for Europe, of which it had been confirmed, Kumiko came from England.

However it was finally a week off and in celebration Uruha and I suggested we head to a bar for a few rounds of drinks. Kai and I had asked Kumiko to join us but she insisted she still had work to do and that we should invite Miyavi instead. We took her advice and invited the hyper singer, and after confirming that no, Kumiko would not be joining us, he agreed to come along. The bar was not as packed as it usually was which was a large relief on our part. We liked to have more of the place, less chance of being caught dancing provocatively drunkenly with one of the other band members. We had a tendency to do that sort of thing when we had had one too many drinks. We ordered the first round and it already felt like a large party was underway, especially when more people began entering the bar/club. It was around the third drink that everyone began to get up and dance. Reita and Miyavi were talking about something or other in absolute hysterics, and I decided to leave my band mate and good friend in favour of dancing with my fellow guitarist; and because I know you are all dying to ask, yes, it was provocative. The more drinks we had the more we all danced, and the dirtier we danced too. For meant to be ‘straight guys’ we sure enjoyed dancing with each other. Although fair enough we weren’t all straight, but that would ruin my point completely. Anyway, after basically dry fucking Uruha on the dance floor, I moved to go and sit down at our little table, while my fellow guitarist decided to pick on our lovable bassist who had been dragged up by Miyavi. I wondered where Miyavi had gotten to seeing as he had been dancing with Reita only moments before and it wasn’t like him to give up a dance mate so easily. Unless there was another he was interested in of course. It was then, as I was scouring the dance floor to see if there was any sign of Miyavi with someone else, that I actually noticed him stumbling towards the table and to me. He plonked himself on the seat next to me and sighed, a smile on his face.
“This is so much fun…” he said slurring slightly. “Such a good way to celebrate a week off, I can’t wait to see what it’ll be like when we get back from tour.” He added stretching his arms above his head and taking another drink a waitress had bought over for us. “And best of all, no Kumiko! I’ve had enough of her these past few weeks.” He made a sound of annoyance and I swear he muttered the word ‘bitch’ under his breath.
“If you don’t mind me asking, Miya-kun,” I began my words slightly slurred as well, and I wasn’t sure why I was even asking this question, because I doubted I would remember the answer in the morning. “But, why do you hate Kumi-chan so much?” I asked giving him a quizzical look. He looked at me like it was obvious but the sighed and seemed to remember that he had in fact never told us anything, just complained, and that obviously, Kumiko had said nothing to us either.
“Well you see, we’ve met before, a long time before. Like when she first moved here before.” He said taking a large gulp of his drink, which was a lovely bright pink concoction. “We met when I was coming out of one of my own concerts. She seemingly had gone. I saved her life.” He said and he grinned as if remembering a happy moment. “She was fighting against this rather large guy who was trying to take her money and other things that could be sold, she was doing fine and then he took out a knife and I began to worry and went to her rescue because I am just amazingly kind and considerate like that.” He sighed and ordered another one of ‘these pink things’ as he called it. He turned back to me and silence settled over us for a few moments before he continued. I had had no idea that they had met so early on in Kumiko’s life in Japan, nor that it would be under such circumstances. “So anyway, I was quite attracted to her, and she obviously was attracted to me –I’m gorgeous who wouldn’t be attracted to me- and we exchanged numbers at some point and then hey presto! We were dating.” He said clapping his hands when he said presto. The bar maid came over with another cocktail for Miyavi and I ordered a rather strong whisky, I felt I would be needing it with this news. I felt sober all of a sudden and I didn’t like it. Miyavi and Kumiko had gone out? Like a couple? You would have never have guessed if you had seen them around PSC. Sure most of the time Kumiko would keep her cool and act mature about the situation even if Miyavi wasn’t, but she snapped sometimes and would go completely berserk. Well so we had heard from members of staff. None of the Gazette members, myself included, had seen any of Miyavi and Kumiko’s arguments.
“To put a long story short, we broke up in a nasty way, nasty, nasty, nasty way and we don’t like to talk about the break up. At all.” He said and downed the rest of his pink cocktail he had been drinking. My whisky was brought to me and as Miyavi was called up to dance by Reita –strangely enough considering he wasn’t a big dancer- I downed it and watched as a worn out Uruha came to join me at the table.
“What’s up Aoi-kun, you look as if you’ve seen a ghost.” He said giggling as waved the waitress over to order. Before he could even say what he really wanted, I interrupted him and ordered him and I another whisky each. He looked at me confused as I stopped to tell the waitress to make sure it was strong whisky. She nodded and smiled as she left to go get our orders. “I didn’t want whisky Aoi-kun!” Uruha complained.
“Well tough Uru you’re gonna be needing it after what I tell you.” I began, and then continued to tell him everything Miyavi had told me about how he knew Kumiko and why they hated each other. Our whisky’s arrived and Uruha stayed looking at me shocked. We sat in silence for a few moments and then Uruha turned to see Miyavi and then turned back towards me and his glass of whisky.
“You mean he, and her?” He asked indicating to Miyavi and then in some other random direction seeing as Kumiko was not in the building at present. I nodded. He grabbed his glass and sighed. “Well bottoms up.” He said and we downed our whiskies at the same time.

The following morning, I felt I could not be happier to be off. My head was pounding and I felt really sick. I just wanted to sleep off this hangover from hell, and now I was off I had the chance making me smile to myself. I rolled over in my lovely warm covers and faced the window, seeing that it was once again raining as I closed my eyes ready for sleep to over take me once again. However it didn’t have the chance. There was a rather urgent, loud, knock at the door and I groaned. Who would be knocking on the door, so early in the morning, when I had a hangover like this? The knocking continued and I soon realised if I didn’t drag myself out of bed and answer it, it would only get worse and it wasn’t doing my headache much good at all. So I rolled out of bed and wandered to the door, not even bothering to check who it was before opening the door. I was then finding myself face to face with our beloved leader-sama.
“Kai, it’s lovely to see you, really it is, but did you have to come over so early in the morning?” I asked rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Kai raised an eyebrow at me.
“Early? Aoi it’s four in the afternoon.” He said and sighed pushing me into my apartment and closing the door behind us. “I have to tell you something important, and obviously, help you with a serious hang over.”
“I am capable of looking after myself Kai, I’m sure, what is it you have to tell me?” I inquired wondering how I had slept in until four in the afternoon.
“I don’t believe you. I bet you were just going to sleep the day away.” He said and shook his head, leading himself into the bathroom where the medicine cabinet was and came back moments later with aspirin and then proceeded to my kitchen pouring me a glass of water. He came back to the living area, where I was now sitting, and gave me the aspirin and water and I took the required amount.
“So what’s this thing you have to tell me anyway?” I asked the drummer. He made a slightly shocked face as he remembered the original reason he had come over and sat down continuing to explain that last night when he had gotten in he had received an invite from Kumiko to go meet up for coffee this morning. Of course he had accepted and after a few head ache and stomach ache tablets, he was ready to combat his hangover at meet our film director for coffee and a light breakfast. He continued to tell me how the subject had gotten onto the rumours flying around PSC about all these arguments she and Miyavi were apparently having. Kumiko had seemingly confessed that yes, she had thrown coffee at Miyavi when she lost her temper with him once and although she regretted it, she was too proud to say sorry. When Kai then asked why Miyavi and Kumiko hated each other so much, she proceeded to tell Kai exactly what Miyavi had told me, just switched points of view. And hers was a little more detailed seeing as Miyavi was mostly drunk when he told me the story of how they met, went out and broke up. Also it was only at that point that I even remembered Miyavi telling me the story and I told Kai that Miyavi had told me that story and also that they never talk about their break up. After a few long chats about the topic and a lot of fussing over how my hangover was bearing and Kai left to go back to his own home while I crawled back into my warm bed, the events that Kai and I had heard about still playing in my mind.

The week was definitely a haven for some well earned rest and although Kumiko didn’t have the week off, we often walked along to PSC to invite her out after she had finished work, or during her lunch break. It was one of these days, and Kai, Kumiko and I were heading back from a rather nice café to PSC and just chatting about anything and everything. Kumiko cracked a joke about something or other causing me and Kai to laugh quite loudly and then Kumiko stopped in her tracks and muttered something about crossing the road. I stopped with Kai and we turned back to face her, wondering to ourselves why she had stopped and why she wanted to cross the road. We turned to face where she was looking and it became quite apparent. Miyavi and Reita were walking towards us. Kai walked back a few paces so he was next to Kumiko and said something to her I couldn’t quite hear over the hustle and bustle around us. She sighed and nodded walking with Kai to where I was standing and we continued to walk. Reita stopped to say hi to us and began talking to Kai, Kumiko and I, while Miyavi stood there glaring at Kumiko. At some point it must have become too much for the young woman because she groaned and shot a rather mighty death glare at the soloist.
“Will you just stop it and grow up!” She snapped crossing her arms over her chest.
“I am allowed to glare at you if I don’t like you.” He snapped back. She sighed again before speaking.
“I don’t care that you don’t like me, because quite frankly, I don’t like you either, but really, you’re being really unprofessional. I am working my butt off for your damn biography prep. The least you could do would be to say thank you once in a while. It’s not hard!” She snapped again, although her voice started raising slightly.
“Well thank you for helping me with my book. Doesn’t stop me from damn well glaring!” Miyavi argued back almost yelling. She groaned and did begin yelling.
“WHAT IS YOUR DAMN WELL PROBLEM!?!? I’M OVER WHAT HAPPENED, THE ONLY REASON I KEEP GETTING MAD AT YOU IS BECAUSE YOU CAN’T SEEM TO MOVE ON AND AT LEAST WORK WITH ME PROFFESIONALY!”
“LIKE I CARE WHETHER YOUR OVER IT OR NOT! SO FORGIVE ME YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS IF I AM INCONCIDERATE TOWARDS YOU BECAUSE MY WOUNDS TAKE LONGER TO HEAL!!”
“THEY SEEM TO BE HEALING JUST FINE FROM MY EYES!” She indicated to Reita this time and he blushed bright red, you could even see it past his bandera. Kai and I looked at Reita quizzically.
“DON’T BRING REITA INTO THIS; THIS IS NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM.”
“WELL I AM SORRY THAT I DARE BRING YOUR BOYFRIEND INTO THIS LITTLE ARGUMENT OF OURS BUT HOW DARE YOU SAY TO ME THAT YOUR WOUNDS TAKE LONGER TO HEAL WHEN HERE YOU ARE PRACTICALLY WAITING FOR THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF PRIVACY SO YOU CAN FUCK HIM JUST LIKE-” She cut herself off at that point the two still glaring at each other. She turned to Reita and muttered an apology for involving him in their argument, and that she should have more tact about her opinions on things, and then with one last scowl and growl at Miyavi she pushed past the two people in front of us and continued on her way to PSC. Miyavi seemed to be going through a range of emotions that he didn’t quite know how to handle, so instead opted to mutter a small apology to Reita and us as he walked past us and towards wherever. Kai, Reita and I were left stunned, not sure what to do. We noticed we had gained quite a lot of attention from the argument and after Reita told us he’d talk to us about what Kumiko said later, Kai and I went off after Kumiko, while Reita followed after Miyavi.

We found Kumiko pacing outside of PSC trying to calm herself down from the previous argument not too far away. I had the feeling though that she wouldn’t be ready for this meeting today. Kai and I walked towards her hesitantly and Kai put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. She had seemed to get quite emotional as she turned to face Kai and hugged him and I heard her begin to cry. Kai wrapped his arms around her and said some calming words to her as he rubbed her back gently. She was practically sobbing into Kai’s shirt and I didn’t realise the topic of herself and Miyavi could be so sensitive if she was supposedly over it. I guess she isn’t as over it as she leads us to believe, even after a few years since it happened. Eventually, after standing there feeling useless for quite some time, she calmed down a little but Kai turned to me.
“Aoi, do me a favour and go into reception and tell them that Kumiko can’t attend any of her afternoon engagements due to some personal circumstances.” He said softly.
“What no! I can’t let some silly argument interfere with my work!” She said shocked wiping her yes and sniffling a little.
“Alright one second.” I said not paying her any attention. She was a little like Kai. She over worked herself. She cared about others but not her own health. Kai did that but on a more extreme level. I entered the building and told the reception what Kai had told me to, and they smiled and said they’d sort it out and have the staff call Kumiko to rearrange things. I told Kumiko and she seemed to feel a little better about missing her work that afternoon. Kai and I took Kumiko back to her house. Yes house, not a little flat, but a rather nice decent sized house. I called Reita that evening to ask how Miyavi was. Apparently, he had had a bit of break down and cried as soon as they got in, and then went to sleep. I inquired as to what Kumiko had meant earlier but all I got was a muffled reply that sounded like ‘we’re just friends’. I was starting to think otherwise.