"New Beginning"
"It's been a while."
"Yep."
"Did you miss me?"
"Somewhat."
"Ah…"
Saga was standing at the window of the hotel room, scanning the skyline of Tokyo with little excitement in his eyes. He could see Shou's reflection in the window.
"We haven't seen each other for seven months. I was expecting-"
"I was trying to ignore your absence," Saga explained. "I missed you, but I didn't want to dwell on it all the time."
"I…guess that makes sense."
Saga turned away from Shou to look back out the window. "This doesn't feel right. For all of us to be apart like this."
"We can't go back, though, Sagacchi." Shou reminded.
"We could if we tried."
"Our band is gone. Simple as that. There's no going back and saving it."
Saga tensed and was suddenly on the verge of tears. "It's barely been a year but I feel this was a huge mistake." He could feel Shou come rest a hand on his back. "This is stupid. Why did we break up?"
Shou was slightly hesitant. "The band…or…"
"Both." Saga muttered.
"I don't know."
Saga gritted his teeth. "Ah, but things have changed so much in this year. We all have our own lives, our own careers. It's depressing when I think about it. It used to be just the five of us making music together and challenging the world at every turn. Now we fight our own battles by ourselves. And I hate how our label uses our breakup as just another way to make money. There are so many things about this that I hate."
"But like I said…we can't go back. It's over."
Saga turned around and leaned against the windowsill. He titled his head back and eyed the ceiling. Shou stepped closer to him.
"We may not be able to get our band back together, but…I think…" Shou bit his lip, hoping his next statement wouldn't sound selfish, "there's still hope for us."
Saga lowered his gaze. "No. There's not."
"Eh?"
"I hate your music." Saga grinned. "I can't date someone who makes such terrible music."
Shou frowned and smacked Saga in the arm. "It is not terrible. What the hell are you saying?!"
The atmosphere in the room suddenly lightened as Saga gave out an honest laugh of amusement.
"You think my music sucks?" Shou still seemed offended.
"Your voice and your lyrics are still gorgeous as ever, but I don't know who is writing your music because it is just terrible. So unoriginal if you ask me."
"But the album was well received. I don't understand…"
"Let's not discuss this…" Saga shook his head. "So our band is dead. But you want us to be together again?"
"Yes. I've missed you a lot." Shou tried leaning forward so he could be closer to the bassist. "It sucks being so lonely all the time. In my personal life as well as music. I think in both cases we were meant to be together."
Saga bit his lip as he thought about that. "I think you're right."
"Please don't say about the music part…" Shou tensed.
Saga laughed and suddenly kissed Shou on the lips. "Of course it's both, silly."
Shou smiled and rested his head in the crook of Saga's neck. Saga put his arms around the vocalist.
"You know," Shou began in Saga's embrace, "I think there is a little hope left in restoring Alice Nine if we try hard enough."
"You think?" Saga's heart skipped a beat.
"I'd like to think so, yeah." Shou sighed. "We'd have to try really hard though."
"We should meet up with the others and discuss this," Saga suggested. "I talked to Tora not to long ago and he said he was so depressed he could hardly function. I felt terrible."
"This band was always Tora's last hope…" Shou recalled. "He was the most devastated I think."
Shou parted from Saga and took a deep breath. Saga was staring at him for some time before Shou asked him why.
"They photoshop your face too much now," Saga placed his hand on Shou's cheek. "I've missed the real you."
"This solo thing isn't all it's cracked up to be."
"You're telling me…" Saga huffed.
"Let's get our band back together, Sagacchi." Shou declared proudly.
Saga smiled and gave a nod of his head. "Let's do it."