London

[loves_la_vie]

It's a normal day for Aino Minako. Get up, get to the studio, warm up her voice, and sing. She stands behind the microphone, headset on, lost in the song while the background music plays

Comments

[starlightmaker]

"Ah? ...This doesn't look right."

A tall and ridiculously androgynous person is standing there suddenly. She (he?) looks to a slip of paper in hand, then around first one way, then the other. A glance up towards the booth, where the singing was coming to an end and the girl stepped out. This was definitely not the right studio number. It was already occupied, and Seiya and Yaten had mysteriously disapp--

...
Nexus. Damnit.

"Leader's going to kill me if I'm late," he mutters to himself.

[loves_la_vie]

Girl or guy? Minako peers quizzically at the new arrival for a moment as she stepped out of the booth. Something feels a bit odd, but she isn't sure what. She spends the next few seconds hoping it's not the start of new battles.

After those few seconds, Minako steps forward to meet Taiki graciously. "Hello. Are you the new talent?" she asks, a bit slyly as - at least as far as she knows - no new talent has been signed lately.

[starlightmaker]

"New talent?" Taiki replies, and he's not sure if he's indignant or just incredulous. "Who are you again?"

He eyes her up and down. Hm. She's cute, at least.

[loves_la_vie]

Claiming to be a talent already signed isn't much better. She knows she hasn't run into him in the hallways, at recordings, at events... That leaves her with two options: Fake, or Nexus. Considering a few people from the Nexus have already been streaming by today, she opts for the first - for now.

That still doesn't answer the question of just how he fits into the worlds that normally connect to the nexus. Better to at least be polite, the friendly idol as always, for now.

"I'm Aino Minako," she introduces herself, extending a hand.

[starlightmaker]

"Eh?!"

A couple of people turn to look, Taiki lowers his voice. "I didn't recognize you with your hair done like that," he says.

...
But she didn't recognize him either. Double nexus. Damnit.

"I'm Taiki Kou," he says then, shaking her hand. "Member of the Three Lights."

[loves_la_vie]

Nope, still not a glimmer of recognition. She nods, accepting the introduction as she might any other co-worker, except she's very sure this isn't someone from her world now. He obviously expects to be recognized, which means he must be famous enough or just that arrogant, and yet she's never heard the name. Or the group name.

"Nice to meet you," she says politely. "Have you been to this studio before?"

[starlightmaker]

"This world must be pretty different from mine," he mutters under his breath, but there's a very handsome smile from the apparent pop star.

"Your singing is very beautiful," he tells her, only...in English. "I didn't realize you know English." His accent is definitely noticeable, but he seems fluent.

[loves_la_vie]

Ok, she knows this one. Actually, to her surprise, she does. The words are pretty basic, and the grammar isn't complicated. She even makes a shaky and thick-accented, but correct, reply: "I speak a little."

[starlightmaker]

"Eh? But your singing is flawless!" Taiki grins. "That's pretty impressive."

assume he switched back to Japanese or it'd be noted?

[loves_la_vie]

"Thank you," Minako offers pleasantly enough, switching gratefully back to Japanese.

"I had a coach who worked with me for that."

Sure XD;

[starlightmaker]

"They taught you very well," Taiki compliments. He reaches to rustle in the messenger bag slung over his shoulder, and produces a CD. He hands it to Minako.

"It's our latest CD," he tells her. "Listen to it when you have time." There's a smile for her. He then glances back to the paper he had in hand before dispassionately. "I have no idea how to get to the right studio now," he grumbles. Nexus. Damnit.

[loves_la_vie]

She takes the CD with a polite thanks, possibly now consigning Taiki to the realm of 'too-big ego hoping she'll be impressed enough to show it to a producer or her manager'. But when Taiki mentions his own studio, she remembers something more important.

"I see. If you came the wrong way, where did you start from?" That is rather the question, isn't it?

[starlightmaker]

Fft. Taiki doesn't need Minako's label. Excuse him for trying to offer a polite gesture.

"I thought I was going the right way." He looks around the room again. "Where is this studio, by the way?"

[loves_la_vie]

"London." It's a terse answer, but she's still feeling out this situation.

"Where are you from? Who signed you? Who is your manager?" The questions come quickly, one after another.

[starlightmaker]

"My studio's in Japan!" Taiki replies with wide eyes. "That's more than just a wrong turn." He motions to the CD he gave her. "Three Lights are a pop group in Japan. It may not be in your world, because Aino Minako isn't a pop star in mine. She wants to be, but she's not been signed." And she's certainly not recording in London.

He tells her the name of the company that signed him and the Three Light's manager (which has changed once or twice thanks to some recycled Dark Kingdom nonsense.) The label is a mainstream name in Japan in Taiki's world, at least.

[loves_la_vie]

That is... definitely a wrong turn indeed. But Minako, from Japan herself as Taiki can probably guess by looking, still doesn't recognize the group, album, or company name.

"It's a different world for sure, then," she says. What she really wants to know is if this guy is an ally or enemy.

"How do you seem to know me?"