Music and Passion

After walking down the streets of the town where most of the restaurants were located and looking around for fifteen minutes we finally settled on some Mexican place that actually wasn`t bad. Apparently it was fairly new. But it seemed to be doing well. Then again, most new places do at first.

"Has the time change started to effect you guys yet?" Keith asked after we ordered our food.

"A little. It`s not as bad now. We`ve already been in the U.S. a week to try and get used to it before starting the tour," Die answered.

"You must get more sleep that way," Jeff observed.

Toshiya nodded, "It definitely helps."

"Too bad something like that won`t work for Sam," Randy said with a laugh.

"What do you mean?" Atsushi and Kaoru asked at the same time.

"Tour gives her insomnia," Nikki answered.

"It did the same to Kyo at first," Toshiya admitted.

Nikki chuckled. "This is our eighth tour. I don`t think it`s going to stop any time soon."

"How do you get any sleep?" Shinya asked as he looked at me.

I opened my mouth and quickly shut it when nothing would come out. I could feel my cheeks heating up as I started to blush. I cleared my throat and looked at only him, hoping that would help. "N-Nikki helps me," I answered in a whisper.

"She speaks!" Keith cheered with a grin. Though that grin quickly faded when Jeff it him up the side of the head.

"Leave her alone," Jeff hissed. "She`s shy enough as it is. You don`t need to make it worse."

"It`s okay to be shy," Shinya murmured as he reached across the table and light patted my hand. "I get really bad about it too sometimes."

I nodded and kept my gaze fixed on him, "I think it`s more about me being comfortable around that person more than anything."

He nodded and gave my hand a squeeze, "I can understand that too."

I smiled a little at his words and nodded. He gave me a little smile back before letting go of my hand. Well, at least someone understands. And that`s honestly nice to have. No one in my band is really shy. Well, except for Nikki when he`s around a girl he likes. But he doesn`t get near as bad as I do.

I cast a quick glance around the restaurant and tried not to roll my eyes when I saw some people staring. Though I suppose in a way I can understand why they would be. We were all pilled into the biggest booth the restaurant had. It was thankfully big enough to fit all of us and it was designed in a half circle. Half of our table barely spoke English and when they did it was done with a heavy accent. And a few people at our table were speaking to each other in rapid Japanese. We really must of been quite the sight.

By the time our food got to our table the conversation had drifted to a discussion on instruments. Right now Toshiya, Yutaka, and Keith were having an argument, although it seemed playful, on which bass was better to use. It was actual quite the funny argument. Yutaka and Toshiya would suddenly start talking in rapid Japanese and poor Keith wouldn`t have a clue what they were saying. And then Keith would say a word Toshiya or Yutaka didn`t know and they would get confused.

Though throughout all the chatter I noticed that Kyo had yet to speak. Sure, most of the conversation was about instruments and being a singer he probably didn`t feel the need to talk about them. But even Iv`e spoken. Okay, I may of only said a few words to either my band mates or Shinya. But I have spoken. He must be really shy. Maybe even shyer than me. And that`s kind of hard to come by. Especially with a musician.

"Sam?" Toll asked suddenly, bringing my attention to him. "You said that Nikki helps with your insomnia. How does he help?"

I immediately began to blush. I know he couldn`t of meant any harm. It`s a innocent enough question. Really, it is. I just hope he understand. Last time I explained it I ended up getting called a slut. "I um...well, to be honestly I sleep with him." I winced as soon as the words left my mouth. That didn`t come out right. "I sleep on him. Wait! That didn`t come out right either..."

Nikki began to chuckle as he explained, "There are many long nights spent sleeping on the bus couches curled up to each other. She sleeps better when someone holds her."

Toll nodded before tilting his head to the side. "You are together, are you not?"

"No. We act too much like siblings. It would feel wrong," Nikki answered. "Besides, I don`t think her actual boyfriend would like that very much."

Randy chuckled, "He still rants about them cuddling so she can sleep."

I frowned and murmured, "He doesn`t get that mad. He just doesn`t understand it very well."

"So you aren`t single?" Atsushi questioned with a surprisingly disappointed look on his face.

"No. I`m dating. Iv`e been in a relationship with James for four years," I answered.

Hide frowned and nodded, "May I ask your age, Sam?"

I smiled at his question. "I`m twenty three." For some reason Atsushi and Kyo winced when I said my age.

"You met young then," Hide murmured with a nod.

"I suppose you could say that," I replied with a shrug.

"To be honest with you, I`m surprised they`ve lasted this long," Keith chuckled.

Toll raised an eyebrow, "Why do you say that?"

"Sometimes he isn`t exactly the nicest person in the world," Keith answered with a shrug.

"He is too. He`s been nothing but nice to me," I argued.

Keith snorted, "To you. We`re guys remember? We see things the girlfriends don`t."

"What`s that supposed to mean?" I questioned.

"Guy`s don`t tell their girlfriends everything. That`s what guys are for," Randy answered with a laugh.

I narrowed my eyes and almost leaned across Nikki to look at Randy and Keith. "And how would you know anything? Neither of you are exactly friends with him!"

"Sam? Perhaps you should calm down. We do not want to get into any trouble," Shinya said softly as he reached across the table and gently laid his hand on my arm.

I let out a huff and glanced at him only to see worry on his face. "I know. I just....they won`t...." I trailed off with a frown, unable to put my feelings into words.

Shinya nodded and gave my arm a little squeeze, "I know."

"Look, Sam," Jeff interjected, "You know we don`t like James. He`s always rubbed us the wrong way and for some reason you don`t see it even after four years. We aren`t trying to put you down, Sweetheart. We just, well sometimes we don`t approve of your choices."

I glared at him. How dare he! Out of the corner of my eye I saw Shinya huff and flop back down into his seat. So much for keeping the peace, huh? "So what are you saying? Every choice I make is bad?"

Jeff`s eyes went wide and he started shaking his head, "No. That`s not what I`m saying at all!"

"Then what are you saying?" I questioned.

"Well, um.....we just aren`t fond of James," Jeff answered, though it sounded like it was more of a question than anything else.

I narrowed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. "I understand that you don`t like him and that you probably never will. And I also understand that you will never see him the way I do. But what I cannot understand is why all of you decided to bring this up here. Why would you all bring this up at some restaurant, in front of everyone, in front of these people that I have very much enjoyed the company of? I cannot understand why you would want to embarrass me!"

Nikki placed a hand on my shoulder and Shinya reached across the table to rest his hand on my arm. "You need to calm down as best you can. You can`t be stressed out right now," Nikki murmured.

"It`s the first day of tour. No one needs to be stressed out. Especially so soon," Shinya agreed.

Jeff opened his mouth to say something but was promptly cut off by a very low inhuman sounding growl. Only one person can make a growl sound like that. I quickly looked at Kyo and I was right. He was indeed growling and he was fixing Jeff with a glare that could make anyone`s blood run cold.

"Do not say another word to her," Kyo hissed, his voice still taking on that inhuman growl. His accent was a bit thick but not thick enough that you couldn`t understand him. It was quite pleasant actually.

After that our food came and we all ate in silence. And it was most definitely an uncomfortable silence. I felt bad. Not only had my friends ruined our evening but I had as well. And the more that thought ran through my head the guiltier I felt. By the time we all had finished eating and all put in money for the bill I felt extremely guilty.

"Sam? Are you alright, Sweetheart?" Nikki asked as we all climbed out of the booth. He must of noticed how my bottom lip began to quiver.

"I feel guilty," I admitted.

"Why in the world would you feel guilty?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I ruined lunch," I answered, started to sniffle a little.

"You did not ruin lunch. And I`m sure our new friends will tell you the exact same thing," He said before turning to where the other two bands stood watching us with looks of worried looks on their faces. "Do any of you think Sam ruined lunch?"

"Of course not!" Yutaka exclaimed before walking up to us and pulled me into a hug. "You did nothing wrong, Sam. You simply defended someone you care about. That`s not a bad thing."

"Yutaka is right, Sam. You didn`t ruin anything," Toshiya agreed as he and Shinya walked up to us with Kaoru and Die trailing close behind.

As soon as Yutaka let me out of his embrace I was pulled into a group hug by Shinya, Toshiya, Die, and Kaoru. And as soon they let go I was pulled into another group hug by Toll, Hide, Imai, Atsushi, and Yutaka again. Then I was quickly pulled into a hug by Nikki.

"So I really didn`t ruin anything?" I asked slowly after all the hugs.

"No. We very much enjoyed your company," Atsushi answered with a smile. "You have nothing to worry about."

"If we aren`t too tired, let`s all spend time together after the show," Die suggested.

"I like that idea," Toshiya agreed with a grin.

"What about you, Kyo?" Atsushi asked suddenly, making me look to the man leaning against the booth we all had been sitting in. "Do you like the idea?" Kyo only nodded as his answer. But that seemed to be enough for everyone.

As we were all walking out of the restaurant Kaoru slung his arm over my shoulder. "Kyo likes you."

I raised an eyebrow and looked up at him. "What makes you say that?"

He grinned down at me before answering, "He defended you." He gave my shoulders a little squeeze and walked away before I could say anything.

I looked to my right to glance up at Nikki but he seemed just as confused as I did. I wonder what Kaoru meant when he said that Kyo likes me. I mean, I have a boyfriend. He couldn`t of meant it that way. Right?