POTO--directed by S.L. Wright

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"That's a good look for you," she said to him with a giggle, missing the lightheartedness behind the scowl he gave her.

"Shut up about my stupid chicken legs," he muttered, making Erin pout at him. "What if I like them?" Okay, maybe that sounded weirder than it should have, she thought after the fact, but then shrugged it off easily when conversation turned back to the whole play/musical deal and they entered a room overflowing with various shades of poofy fabric.

"Woah!" She wandered away from Yukito's side and started to peruse the glittering items that she was probably going to have to wear.

Cassie pointed to the one she was examining and piped up excitedly, "Erin, you get to wear that! Aren't you excited? And that's yours too--" Immediately her eyes followed Cassie's index finger around the room to find a really poofy, gorgeous blue gown. It was going to be a pain to put on and get around, Erin felt sure of it, but at the same time, it was a poofy fluff-dress, which would be so fun to goof off in, too. "And that--" Cassie added, pointing to a black and red lacy thing that reminded Erin of Spain for some reason. "Woah... Why'm I changing so much? They look like dancing dresses, do I get to dance in them?" Erin lifted the Spanish-looking dress --it was heavy with material-- and held it in front of her as she circled a few times, then stumbled back in dizziness. "Okay, that was dumb," she muttered through laughter, trying to set the dress back the way she found it.

"Yukito, we've only got your Music of the Night costume, stage version, here, sorry." Erin looked over at what Yukito was supposed to wear and her eyes brightened. "I approve!"

"The others are coming soon...I don't think any of Aidousan's have been shipped yet but I think we're looking at tomorrow as a possible arrival time. And there's mine--" Again, Cassie pointed, this time to a ballet-type outfit/dress. "Well, one of 'em, anyway. I didn't get finished unpacking and hanging them up yet."

Erin couldn't lie if anyone asked, she was pretty sure her costumes were the best. She walked briskly back to Yukito, linking her arm in his with a smile.

"So what's this whole musical thing about, anyway?"

Instead of answering, Shelby handed each of them a letter, which Erin immediately refused to read, letting it hang limply at her side as she tilted her head to rest on Yukito. "You look good in a suit, Yukito," she told him with a soft laugh. She continued to occupy herself with examining the costumes and imagining her and Yukito wearing them as Cassie held a one-way conversation that she easily ignored.

"Um...yeah. Any questions before we move into scheduling?"

The question went unnoticed by Erin for a moment, until she came out of her daydream and her eyes snapped up to find Cassie. "Hm, what? What did you ask?" Questions, duh. A smile came on her face. "Can we try on the costumes now? And I really don't remember this play a lot, so.. what am I doing?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Shut up about my stupid chicken legs," he barely managed to stifle a smile as he muttered, turning in time to see Erin's playful pout.

"What if I like them?" He didn't answer her, just chuckled quietly and followed Cassie into a room full of elaborate costumes and a silent, sullen-looking Shelby. Erin immediately floated away from his side to inspect the colorful arrangement - though Yukito noticed a (in his opinion) healthy percentage of black, red, and white - her eyes and hands inspecting them with all the wonder and curiosity he was feeling. Cassie started to point out which costume 'belonged' to which person, and Yukito's eyes widened at the dress Erin chose out among the rest, holding it in front of her and circling. He could safely bet her father would not approve, and it made him smile. She would definitely like wearing that one, and he couldn't lie and say he didn't want to see her in it.

"Yukito, we've only got your Music of the Night costume, stage version, here, sorry." He glanced over at the costume, giving the slightest of shrugs. He didn't even know who he was gonna play, so what did it matter to him if his costumes were in? Until a little while ago, he hadn't realized they had costumes at all. It was starting to look a little interesting, to say the least. Though a little formal. Obviously it wasn't a jeans-and-t-shirt sort of deal.

Erin sent the Night costume a studious look, then added, "I approve!"

"The others are coming soon...I don't think any of Aidousan's have been shipped yet but I think we're looking at tomorrow as a possible arrival time. And there's mine--" She gestured toward a ballet outfit. "Well, one of 'em, anyway. I didn't get finished unpacking and hanging them up yet."

Yukito turned to Shelby as Erin found her way back to his side. He asked a simple question, hoping Cassie wouldn't answer for her younger sister. "So what's this whole musical thing about, anyway?"

Shelby handed out papers, which Yukito frowned deeply at. He did take a look, though, because it heavily resembled a cast list. His eyes skimmed the page for names he recognized, and he tried to remember who played who, even before he had characters to put to the names. My character doesn't even have a name...I'm just 'The Phantom'? He could have temporarily made himself believe that the lack of a name might equal a smallish part, but the title of the musical took away all hopes. I'm the title character and I've never even heard of it. And it's an opera. Great. He started reading the summary aloud, not very loudly, under his breath. It sounded an awful lot like a heated romance with a very typical love triangle. As he read, he paused every once in awhile to glance back at the cast list, hoping to mentally place the right people. Something didn't sound right. But Erin was supposed to play Christine, another main part, so at least he didn't have to go through it by himself, right?

"You look good in a suit, Yukito," Erin told him with a soft laugh.

"I hope so. I wasn't about to agree to wearing any of your costumes." he said in a deadpan voice, though a smile tugged at his lips. Not again, anyway. The whole Dorothy thing scarred me enough, thank you very much.

Yukito looked up as Cassie spoke, "Um...yeah. Any questions before we move into scheduling?"

"Can we try on the costumes now? And I really don't remember this play a lot, so.. what am I doing?" Erin was already excited and ready to go, of course.

He raised his hand, his face still staring at the scheduling, "I've never seen this play..musical...opera...whatever... Am I gonna have to go see a musical before we start this thing, or am I just supposed to wing it?" A pause, "And what is with the no-name for this guy? Is he afraid of identity theft or something? The Phantom...." He sent the summary a confused glance, then let out a sigh He seemed messed up like me, so I guess I could make it work. I hate the fact that I got a main part and didn't even ask to be in it from the first... "And, uh...it says he's deformed...? I assume that's a heavy makeup job or something?"

He pointed toward Erin, "And finally, do we get to kiss a lot? Or do we have to keep it in between scenes or something? He's in love with her, after all..."

[More than Music]

OOC: I feel bad for not posting already... >< And I'm sorry it's so short! I didn't know what to have him do.
BIC:

Kagayaki Aidou

He felt kind of bad. He'd been too scared to go out in the rain.

Yes, one of the worst excuse for being late, ever, but it was true.

He hated getting wet... he got cold too easily and hadn't wanted to risk the slight possibility of getting sick at all again. He hated that helpless feeling just as much as the wet feeling. To him, getting wet and then coming into someone's house was just as bad as wetting yourself; it was just flat-out embarrassing, whether it was on purpose or not.

But he'd finally made himself get out there, and here he was, sitting in the taxi cab, the driver telling him this was his stop. He paid the guy and took a super deep breath. He put his hood on.

As soon he opened the car door, he shot out like he was on fire, not caring out stupid he must have looked. He ran across the lawn, stumbling repeatedly.

When Kagayaki finally made it to the door, he was breathing heavily and his hood had fallen off. He wasn't all that wet, and that was good. But he looked like he'd just run a marathon. He waited a while before knocking on the door. He tried the door and found it open. Leaning in, Kagayaki looked around.

"Hello?" he called into the empty hallway.

Where was everyone?

He hoped they weren't in the tree house... it was so wet outside! "Cassiechan? ... Cassie...!"

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

"Um...yeah. Any questions before we move into scheduling?" Except for why Shelby's not talking. Don't ask that, even though I know you want to. I can feel your disapproving eyes, Yukito. Don't blame me...It's not my fault she won't talk...

"Hm, what? What did you ask? Can we try on the costumes now?" Erin asked, showing her one-track mind at its best. Cassie laughed. "Uh, maybe not quite this second. Later, I promise. Although I can't guarantee you're gonna like the corsets."

And I really don't remember this play a lot, so.. what am I doing?"

Shelby stared at her. "Being...the...lead?" she croaked. "You should have read it. Cassie, read it out loud, we don't have time for this." Shocked at the sudden use of words, Cassie obeyed, reading the entire packet to them, watching their faces as she described the romance between Raoul and Christine. I don't know how they're gonna react to it...I'm pretty much fine with it, since I know it's just acting, but Yukito might not be too keen on it...

Shelby looked like she was about to speak again, but Kagayaki's voice interrupted her. "Cassiechan?... Cassie...!"

"In here!" Cassie yelled, poking her head through the door to the less-formal living room and looking down the long corridor to the entryway. "Living room! Costume central!"

"I've never seen this play..musical...opera...whatever... Am I gonna have to go see a musical before we start this thing, or am I just supposed to wing it? And what is with the no-name for this guy? Is he afraid of identity theft or something? The Phantom....And, uh...it says he's deformed...? I assume that's a heavy makeup job or something? And finally, do we get to kiss a lot? Or do we have to keep it in between scenes or something? He's in love with her, after all..."

Shelby snorted with derision, and Cassie sighed. Immediately she reverted to what Cassie and Jake referred to as 'Phantom snob mode', gazing at Yukito as if he were the dumbest creature on earth. "No," she choked out. "Sorry, you don't get to kiss a lot. He's in love with her. Not the other way around, get it? She's terrified of him and doesn't kiss him til the end. Sorry. One kiss, maybe two, onscreen. That's all you get. And before you ask, which I know you're going to, yes, you can be Raoul if you want to kiss Erin more on-screen. Raoul's the one she loves up until the very end, as you can see from the summary. That is not the original ending, but part of my assignment is to change one major thing, so that's what I picked. So you can be Raoul if you really feel strongly, it makes no difference to me. But just know that if you want to switch parts, you don't end up with Christine at the end. Raoul and Meg end up together, meaning you would get Cassie. It's your choice."

Shelby took a breath and charged on. "She--Christine--is absolutely terrified of him, because of the deformity and behavior and stuff. The deformity, which will be awesome, will be makeup and prosthetics. We'll get those in soon. He does not have a name in the musical version, but he does in the original book. Just a first name, not a last one. Erik. If you want to read the book I would highly encourage you to do so, but it's not required. If you want to get a feel for the character, rent the movie version with Gerard Butler, that's the best advice I can give you. But they cut some songs and lyrical bits from the movie, so if you watch it just know that ours, the Broadway version, has a lot more singing and thus is very different. Youtube's probably got the full version somewhere if you wanna check it out. But make sure you don't just copy their performances. I want you all to have fun with this and make it your own. I mean, it's everyone's dream, right? To be in a movie?" Shelby shrugged, not giving anyone a chance to respond. "And, sorry to be rude, but it's not an opera, it's a Broadway musical. Operas by definition are all singing and no talking, which this is not. Calling it an opera is one of my biggest pet peeves, so please refrain." She glanced over at Kagayaki before handing him a CD. "Here, Aidousan. I had Cassie make this for you. It's the songs from the musical in Japanese--I figured it would help. You want one too, Yukito?"

Cassie gawked at her. "That's the most talking you've done in months."

Shelby smirked. "Oh yeah. Get used to it--I'm your director now."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Hm, what? What did you ask?" Erin asked, turning at the sound of Cassie's voice. "Can we try on the costumes now?"

Cassie laughed. "Uh, maybe not quite this second. Later, I promise. Although I can't guarantee you're gonna like the corsets."

"Corsets, like the ones at the ren fest that cost hundreds of dollars and break your ribs?" She arched her eyebrows. Yeah, I think you're right about that one, Cassie... I like my ribs whole, thank you. "And I really don't remember this play a lot, so.. what am I doing?"

Shelby stared at her. "Being...the...lead?" she croaked. "You should have read it. Cassie, read it out loud, we don't have time for this." Erin glanced at Yukito, rolling her eyes. She wasn't going to waste her time wading through a letter when it would be easier for everyone to just say what was going on. The letter thing was stupid, anyway. Shelby had a voice, and now she was using it.

Cassie obeyed her sister, reading everything that Shelby had printed. To be honest, it was kind of lengthy, and at times Erin zoned out, busying herself with the costumes or playing with Yukito's hand in hers. She did hear, however, the part about her character having a thing for Aidousan's character, and that got her attention. A surprised smile grew on her face. "So, I'm seriously gonna start out head over heels for Aidousan?" she inserted, barely able to hold back the giggles. How weird! And don't they have a scene where they kiss in the snow or something? This time she did start laughing. It was such a weird thought!

Coincidentally, at the same time Cassie was interrupted by the same voice of whom they were speaking, and she beckoned him in. It only perpetuated Erin's giggles.

"I've never seen this play..musical...opera...whatever... Am I gonna have to go see a musical before we start this thing, or am I just supposed to wing it? And what is with the no-name for this guy? Is he afraid of identity theft or something? The Phantom....And, uh...it says he's deformed...? I assume that's a heavy makeup job or something?"

"A mask!" Erin chirped, interrupting him and covering half her face with her hand for demonstration. She definitely remembered that part.

" And finally, do we get to kiss a lot? Or do we have to keep it in between scenes or something? He's in love with her, after all..."
Erin grinned.

Shelby gave Yukito such a look. "No," she choked out. "Sorry, you don't get to kiss a lot. He's in love with her. Not the other way around, get it? She's terrified of him and doesn't kiss him til the end. Sorry. One kiss, maybe two, onscreen. That's all you get. And before you ask, which I know you're going to, yes, you can be Raoul if you want to kiss Erin more on-screen. Raoul's the one she loves up until the very end, as you can see from the summary. That is not the original ending, but part of my assignment is to change one major thing, so that's what I picked. So you can be Raoul if you really feel strongly, it makes no difference to me. But just know that if you want to switch parts, you don't end up with Christine at the end. Raoul and Meg end up together, meaning you would get Cassie. It's your choice."

"No, I want you to keep this role," Erin argued, giving him a pleading expression. If they ended up together at the end, that was the important part. And she'd get to hear Yukito sing more if he played the Phantom part. And there was a wedding dress she'd get to wear.

Shelby took a breath and charged on. "She--Christine--is absolutely terrified of him, because of the deformity and behavior and stuff. The deformity, which will be awesome, will be makeup and prosthetics. We'll get those in soon. He does not have a name in the musical version, but he does in the original book. Just a first name, not a last one. Erik. If you want to read the book I would highly encourage you to do so, but it's not required. If you want to get a feel for the character, rent the movie version with Gerard Butler, that's the best advice I can give you. But they cut some songs and lyrical bits from the movie, so if you watch it just know that ours, the Broadway version, has a lot more singing and thus is very different. Youtube's probably got the full version somewhere if you wanna check it out. But make sure you don't just copy their performances. I want you all to have fun with this and make it your own. I mean, it's everyone's dream, right? To be in a movie?"

If Shelby had a word quota, she'd definitely passed it up now. All together, it was probably more words now than Erin had ever heard her say before. Woah.... cool.

"And, sorry to be rude, but it's not an opera, it's a Broadway musical. Operas by definition are all singing and no talking, which this is not. Calling it an opera is one of my biggest pet peeves, so please refrain." Erin mock saluted at the order. "Yes, ma'am."

She glanced over at Kagayaki before handing him a CD. "Here, Aidousan. I had Cassie make this for you. It's the songs from the musical in Japanese--I figured it would help. You want one too, Yukito?"

Cassie gawked at her. "That's the most talking you've done in months."

Shelby smirked. "Oh yeah. Get used to it--I'm your director now."

"Girl don't even play," Erin muttered with a smile, glancing at Yukito again, then giving him a kiss on his cheek. Then she turned her gaze back to Shelby, happy the girl was giving orders now. Even if she was kind of mean when she was doing it. "So what do you want me to do? Like, memorize lines or something? When are we gonna start filming this?"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

As Cassie read the letter out loud, Yukito felt himself frown deeply, thinking. Of course, Erin picked out the part he was most uncertain about: Raoul and Christine. "So, I'm seriously gonna start out head over heels for Aidousan?" she inserted, barely able to hold back the giggles. Yukito's frown deepened. When Aidousan himself wandered into the room, Erin giggled and Yukito wasn't able to take his eyes off Shelby, occasionally glancing down at the paper in his hand. He didn't like it. He really, really didn't like it. But he tried to bury it under his questions.

"I've never seen this play..musical...opera...whatever... Am I gonna have to go see a musical before we start this thing, or am I just supposed to wing it? And what is with the no-name for this guy? Is he afraid of identity theft or something? The Phantom....And, uh...it says he's deformed...? I assume that's a heavy makeup job or something?"

"A mask!" Erin chirped. He didn't look her way.

" And finally, do we get to kiss a lot? Or do we have to keep it in between scenes or something? He's in love with her, after all..." It was his own feeble attempt at self-reassurance. But in the end, it accomplished something very different. Shelby reeled off a long argument, reprimanding him for being such an idiot as to not know the play he'd been unwillingly volunteered for.

"No," she choked out. "Sorry, you don't get to kiss a lot. He's in love with her. Not the other way around, get it? She's terrified of him and doesn't kiss him til the end. Sorry. One kiss, maybe two, onscreen. That's all you get. And before you ask, which I know you're going to, yes, you can be Raoul if you want to kiss Erin more on-screen. Raoul's the one she loves up until the very end, as you can see from the summary. That is not the original ending, but part of my assignment is to change one major thing, so that's what I picked. So you can be Raoul if you really feel strongly, it makes no difference to me. But just know that if you want to switch parts, you don't end up with Christine at the end. Raoul and Meg end up together, meaning you would get Cassie. It's your choice."

Before Yukito could respond, Erin interceded. "No, I want you to keep this role," He let his eyes glance of her, looking into her face and seeing the silent plead there. He let out a sigh.

"She--Christine--is absolutely terrified of him, because of the deformity and behavior and stuff. The deformity, which will be awesome, will be makeup and prosthetics. We'll get those in soon. He does not have a name in the musical version, but he does in the original book. Just a first name, not a last one. Erik. If you want to read the book I would highly encourage you to do so, but it's not required. If you want to get a feel for the character, rent the movie version with Gerard Butler, that's the best advice I can give you. But they cut some songs and lyrical bits from the movie, so if you watch it just know that ours, the Broadway version, has a lot more singing and thus is very different. Youtube's probably got the full version somewhere if you wanna check it out. But make sure you don't just copy their performances. I want you all to have fun with this and make it your own. I mean, it's everyone's dream, right? To be in a movie? And, sorry to be rude, but it's not an opera, it's a Broadway musical. Operas by definition are all singing and no talking, which this is not. Calling it an opera is one of my biggest pet peeves, so please refrain." She glanced over at Aidousan before handing him a CD. "Here, Aidousan. I had Cassie make this for you. It's the songs from the musical in Japanese--I figured it would help. You want one too, Yukito?"

Yukito narrowed his eyes at her. He'd probably spoken more English than her over the course of their lives, at this rate. "No thank you." His voice simmered, his mood falling into a dark place. What a way to finally impress me with a take-charge attitude. Nagging after terms and expecting me to know all the geeky things you do.

"That's the most talking you've done in months." Cassie said, seemingly stunned.

Shelby smirked. "Oh yeah. Get used to it--I'm your director now."

"Girl don't even play," Erin muttered before giving Yukito a peck on the cheek. "So what do you want me to do? Like, memorize lines or something? When are we gonna start filming this?"

"I'm not in," Yukito stated firmly. He let a pause hover between his words before he managed to growl out the thing that had been picking at him since he'd read the cast list. "Not if it means they get to kiss half the film." he gestured towards Aidousan and Erin, but his eyes were still trained on Shelby, "I don't even know why you picked us to do this in the first place! Don't you have any other emo friends to pull into your opera... musical... whatever? Either way, I don't like them. And I didn't ask to be here. And I don't like putting my girlfriend and I in a situation where she spends her time locking lips with some other guy while I watch." Without waiting for a response, Yukito passed the figures in the room by, making his way to the laundry room. He crouched down in front of the dryer hugging his knees, glaring at it as if the machine was the source of all his problems. His face half-buried in his knees, he could smell the strange scent on the borrowed clothes, reminding him that he was practically imprisoned here until his own things were dry.

It wasn't just a simple matter of pride. It wasn't just jealousy - though he hated the idea of Erin kissing anyone. But this wasn't just a random kissing dare or something stupid like that. From the synopsis, and confirmed by Shelby's mini-speech, he knew that Raoul and Christine were actually in love. And that meant Erin would have to act out being in love. In his mind, acting out something meant lying to yourself temporarily. He remembered being on stage - you had to lie in order to feel anything powerful. If you didn't believe it, it never happened. There would be no pull, no emotional thickness in the air. If being in this stupid musical meant she was spending it lying to herself that she was hopelessly in love with Aidousan....

Aidousan. He was just making this worse, and Yukito was sure he didn't even know it. Probably. It didn't help that it was his best friend acting out as his romantic rival. It really didn't help that he had a brief past with Yukito's past girlfriends...and that Yukito know about the past girlfriends in Aidousan's past. He was sure that through all the lying, acting, and pretending, it wouldn't take much for Aidousan to make himself believe whole-heartedly that he really did feel something for Erin. Yukito found that a simple conclusion, utterly logical. He just knew it. And he was sure there was nothing to be said that could convince him otherwise. It wasn't a personal grudge - it was logic that tore against him. To him, he was as if Shelby was asking him to hand off Erin to Aidousan permanently. And that was more than just jealousy. That was practically suicide.

He lifted the now-crinkled cast list in his hand, skimming it again with his eyes. "Get someone else," he mumbled.

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

He smiled when he heard Cassie's voice. Kicking off his shoes in a hurry, Kagayaki ran to her side, wrapping his arms around her middle. "Hi," he breathed, kissing her cheek before giving up her waist to take hold of her hand. He looked up, realizing he'd come in the middle of a rant. From Shelbychan. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"...So you can be Raoul if you really feel strongly, it makes no difference to me. But just know that if you want to switch parts, you don't end up with Christine at the end. Raoul and Meg end up together, meaning you would get Cassie. It's your choice."

"No, I want you to keep this role. Erinchan quickly said to Yukitokun. Kagayaki looked over, confused.

"T'ats... T'ats mine..." he pouted. "You no can have has mine."

Shelbychan continued to talk, ignoring them all. "She--Christine--is absolutely terrified of him, because of the deformity and behavior and stuff. The deformity, which will be awesome, will be makeup and prosthetics. We'll get those in soon. He does not have a name in the musical version, but he does in the original book. Just a first name, not a last one. Erik. If you want to read the book I would highly encourage you to do so, but it's not required. If you want to get a feel for the character, rent the movie version with Gerard Butler, that's the best advice I can give you. But they cut some songs and lyrical bits from the movie, so if you watch it just know that ours, the Broadway version, has a lot more singing and thus is very different. Youtube's probably got the full version somewhere if you wanna check it out. But make sure you don't just copy their performances. I want you all to have fun with this and make it your own. I mean, it's everyone's dream, right? To be in a movie? And, sorry to be rude, but it's not an opera, it's a Broadway musical. Operas by definition are all singing and no talking, which this is not. Calling it an opera is one of my biggest pet peeves, so please refrain." He noticed her handing him a CD, which he quickly took, staring at it with awe. "Here, Aidousan. I had Cassie make this for you. It's the songs from the musical in Japanese--I figured it would help. You want one too, Yukito?"

Kagayaki ignored Yukito's response and looked at the CD. "Ts'ank you..." he whispered, more than a little surprised she'd gone through any sort of trouble to get something for him.

"That's the most talking you've done in months." Cassiechan said, and Kagayaki laughed.

"Mos' I heared you say said... all time I been here."

"Oh yeah. Get used to it--I'm your director now." Shelbychan said, looking a little devious.

"Girl don't even play," Erinchan said. Kagayaki looked up. What did that mean? "So what do you want me to do? Like, memorize lines or something? When are we gonna start filming this?"

Kagayaki nodded fervently, taking Cassie's hand again. He was trying to ignore the fact his English was so bad... and his accent. Oh, that would need some serious work. Good thing Yukitokun was here to help with that.

Or was he?

"I'm not in."

Kagayaki felt the CD slip out of his hand, hitting the floor with a horrible sound. "Sorry," he whispered, letting go of Cassie to pick it back up. He tried not to freak out. "Yukitokun, don't be like that!"

"Not if it means they get to kiss half the film."

Kagayaki's mouth fell open. "Yukitokun!" He stood up, standing tensely. 'Get over yourself, this isn't just about you,' he wanted to say, but knew it wouldn't do any good. So he did what he usually did: nothing.

"I don't even know why you picked us to do this in the first place! Don't you have any other emo friends to pull into your opera... musical... whatever? Either way, I don't like them. And I didn't ask to be here. And I don't like putting my girlfriend and I in a situation where she spends her time locking lips with some other guy while I watch." Then he stormed out.

"Yukito!" Kagayaki yelped, looking at his friends, feeling incredibly helpless.

'How could you do that to me? Why do you always leave me to clean up your messes? One of these times, Yukitokun, I'm going to be the one to run, and I'd hate to you, because you'll realize just what you make me put up with. All. The. Time.'

Taking in a deep breath, Kagayaki looked at Cassie and managed to smile. "I... I'm sorry..." he said, trying very hard to speak clearly. "Yukitokun... is... is very nervous..." He kicked the floor. "Nervous I been... takin' Erinchan away..." Kagayaki shook his head, then looked right at Erinchan. "He don'... don' un-unders'and... He very-very nervous sometimes..." Knowing nothing else to do, he shrugged. "Maybe... he jus' need... time."

'I can't believe how angry I am right now. I want to scream, to kick and scream, but I can't. I won't run off and leave my friends like that. I can't, I just can't.'

"Maybe..." He took Cassie's hand again. "Maybe, we keep goin', yah? Tell him later, yah?"

'Give me strength, Cassie. Give me that strength you always seem to have. I know you don't have much left, but I need you... The person I trust most in this world is doubting me like I never imagined he would. He's questioning my integrity, not just as his friend but as a person. And he doesn't seem to care how that makes me feel. Please... give me some strength. You always seem to make it through.'

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

She was so shocked by Shelby's sudden verbalization that it took her a while to realize that Kagayaki was there. "Hey..." she breathed quietly, leaning up a little to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. See? I'm getting better. I wouldn't have done that a week ago, would I? Maybe Yukito was wrong, and it just takes a little time...

"But just know that if you want to switch parts, you don't end up with Christine at the end. Raoul and Meg end up together, meaning you would get Cassie. It's your choice." If Yukito didn't look so angry, and the situation not so serious, Cassie would have laughed at the irony of such a choice given the fact that they were filming Phantom of the Opera. As it was, she didn't like the irate look in Yukito's eye, or Shelby's odd new smirk as she gazed back at him, unfaltering. "It's just acting, anyway..." she murmured.

"No, I want you to keep this role," Erin said, as if that effectively settled the matter. Meanwhile, Kagayaki sounded like a kid who'd gotten his toy taken away from him on the playground as he voiced, "T'ats... T'ats mine...You no can have has mine."

Shelby was still talking, her voice straining at the seams but somehow sounding more forceful than it had in months. "She--Christine--is absolutely terrified of him, because of the deformity and behavior and stuff." Cassie, feeling the need to interject something, simply nodded as she stared at her sister in awe. Who was this person? What had she done with the sullen, silent Shelby, or with the old one, the one of the days before affairs and divorces and boyfriends? Who was this new girl standing in front of her, her red hair pulled back in a ponytail and stuffed into a baseball cap a la Stephen Spielberg, arms crossed as she stared defiantly at Yukito? Cassie certainly didn't recognize her.

"The deformity, which will be awesome, will be makeup and prosthetics. We'll get those in soon. He does not have a name in the musical version, but he does in the original book. Just a first name, not a last one. Erik. If you want to read the book I would highly encourage you to do so, but it's not required. If you want to get a feel for the character, rent the movie version with Gerard Butler, that's the best advice I can give you. But they cut some songs and lyrical bits from the movie, so if you watch it just know that ours, the Broadway version, has a lot more singing and thus is very different. Youtube's probably got the full version somewhere if you wanna check it out. But make sure you don't just copy their performances. I want you all to have fun with this and make it your own. I mean, it's everyone's dream, right? To be in a movie? And, sorry to be rude, but it's not an opera, it's a Broadway musical. Operas by definition are all singing and no talking, which this is not. Calling it an opera is one of my biggest pet peeves, so please refrain. Here, Aidousan. I had Cassie make this for you. It's the songs from the musical in Japanese--I figured it would help. You want one too, Yukito?"

"Ts'ank you..." Kagayaki replied. Cassie followed with, "That's the most talking you've done in months." She tried to keep her tone flippant, but she knew she sounded as shocked as she felt.

"Mos' I heared you say said... all time I been here."

Erin said something Cassie hardly paid attention to, and she remained staring at Shelby until Yukito interjected, "I'm not in."

Cassie turned to him, mouth agape. Next to her, she heard the CD drop to the floor--it was probably broken now. "You're not? No way--"

"Not if it means they get to kiss half the film."

"Yukitokun!"

"That's ridiculous. It's acting!"

"I don't even know why you picked us to do this in the first place! Don't you have any other emo friends to pull into your opera... musical... whatever?"

"Nope," Shelby interrupted. "Drove 'em all away. Plus, they can't sing to save their lives, and I know that y'all can. So I picked you."

"Either way, I don't like them. And I didn't ask to be here. And I don't like putting my girlfriend and I in a situation where she spends her time locking lips with some other guy while I watch."

And then he was gone. Cassie thought she heard a door slam, but she wasn't sure. She sighed. "Awesome. Just...fantastic. Should someone go try and talk some sense into that thick skull of his? Any volunteers? Anyone?" She glanced back through the hallway where he had fled, her face taking on a dejected look. Can't you see that this is the only thing that might bring Shelby back to who she used to be? You saw her! You saw how she acted, and how she talked...and now you're just going to ruin everything because of your stupid, selfish insecurities! Ugh! I hate this!

"I... I'm sorry...Yukitokun... is... is very nervous...Nervous I been... takin' Erinchan away..."

"Which is stupid," Cassie mumbled.

"He don'... don' un-unders'and... He very-very nervous sometimes...Maybe... he jus' need... time. Maybe...Maybe, we keep goin', yah? Tell him later, yah?"

"Will that help?" Cassie sighed again. Shelby offered a shrug. "I'm getting a snack," she said nonchalantly. "Why don't you see if that CD is broken, Aidousan, and if it's not you can put it on for a bit while we wait. I can get Cassie to fill you in on what you missed--it wasn't a lot. And Cassie and Erin...Cassie, go get your first costume on, just to see how it fits. Erin, you can study your script or try on a costume or go try and talk to your stubborn boyfriend, I don't care." And then she, too, was gone.

Cassie leaned her head on Kagayaki's shoulder, all of her enthusiasm draining. "You're still in, right? It'll be fun..."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"I'm not in."

Erin stared back at Yukito, not sure she had actually caught what he'd said. "What?"

"You're not? No way--"

"Not if it means they get to kiss half the film."

"Yukitokun!" "Yukito!" Erin's voice chimed in simultaneously. Why was he acting like such a baby about it?

"That's ridiculous. It's acting!"

What, do you think I'm just gonna switch affections just for a school project?!" She knew she sounded too exaggerated and that he wasn't even listening to her. He was talking over her.

"I don't even know why you picked us to do this in the first place! Don't you have any other emo friends to pull into your opera... musical... whatever?"

"Yukito!" She stood up, hands clenched at her side.

"Nope," Shelby interrupted. "Drove 'em all away. Plus, they can't sing to save their lives, and I know that y'all can. So I picked you."

"Either way, I don't like them. And I didn't ask to be here. And I don't like putting my girlfriend and I in a situation where she spends her time locking lips with some other guy while I watch."

"What the heck is your problem?" Erin snapped at him, completely in disbelief.

And then he was gone. Erin looked at the door blankly, stunned. What just happened? He was upset because she had to kiss Aidousan for the film? And this is how he reacted?

Cassie sighed. "Awesome. Just...fantastic. Should someone go try and talk some sense into that thick skull of his? Any volunteers? Anyone?"

"I think--" she tried to start, but was cut off by Kagayaki's quick attempt at an explanation. "I... I'm sorry...Yukitokun... is... is very nervous...Nervous I been... takin' Erinchan away..."

"Which is stupid," Cassie mumbled.

"No, he's not," Erin objected, though she feared Kagayaki was right.

"He don'... don' un-unders'and... He very-very nervous sometimes...Maybe... he jus' need... time. Maybe...Maybe, we keep goin', yah? Tell him later, yah?"

Erin frowned, sure that that would not work. "Will that help?" Cassie sighed again.

"Y'all, I think--" Cut off again, though, by Shelby. It was kind of getting on her nerves, and she was already ticked at Yukito.

"I'm getting a snack. Why don't you see if that CD is broken, Aidousan, and if it's not you can put it on for a bit while we wait. I can get Cassie to fill you in on what you missed--it wasn't a lot. And Cassie and Erin...Cassie, go get your first costume on, just to see how it fits. Erin, you can study your script or try on a costume or go try and talk to your stubborn boyfriend, I don't care." And then she, too, was gone, leaving Erin in a deep-set frown. She didn't like the way that Shelby was talking to her.

"Fine, I will," she muttered darkly at the door after Shelby, and left herself to find Yukito.

Automatically she steered to the washroom; since Yukito didn't know her house so well it felt right that he'd rush as quick as he could to the place he remembered the easiest. She pulled open the door to find, sure enough, Yukito staring bitterly at the dryer. She sighed, shaking her head a little as she knelt down next to him, her hand on his shoulder. "Yukito, what are you doing?" Her voice was surprisingly quiet. "It looks like you're sitting on the floor of someone else's washroom pouting at the dryer...." Another sigh. "Yukito... why are you so upset? Didn't you ever do acting in Japan? Pretending to be someone else for some school project isn't gonna make me quit loving you, you know that, right? And look at Shelby, Yukito... this is making her better. I don't want to see her fall back again..."

A third sigh, then Erin tried desperately to lighten the mood. "Just think how awkward Shakespeare's actors all felt in Romeo and Juliet..."

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

He heard someone entering the room, and glanced up to see Erin. Immediately his eyes went downcast, like a child ashamed of something they knew they'd been caught doing. Her sigh was just a confirmation of that attitude, and even as she knelt down at his shoulder, her hand lightly touching his shoulder, he was starting to feel that raw twist in his stomach of conflict. He wanted to melt all that he'd said away until no one remembered it, and he wanted to push harder against her, to make her see it wasn't something petty and stupid, like it seemed. It went deeper than that, and he'd reacted stupidly to it, was all. He continued to glare at the dryer, though with a little less force than a moment ago, his anger beginning to ebb away as he felt her hand on his bony shoulder

"Yukito, what are you doing?" She asked him quietly. Wishing I was someone else. "It looks like you're sitting on the floor of someone else's washroom pouting at the dryer...."

He still didn't respond. Any response at this point seemed childish and didn't get them anywhere. He laid his chin on his knees as Erin sighed yet again. "Yukito... why are you so upset? Didn't you ever do acting in Japan? Pretending to be someone else for some school project isn't gonna make me quit loving you, you know that, right? And look at Shelby, Yukito... this is making her better. I don't want to see her fall back again..." He was finding it harder and harder to care about Shelby. She didn't seem to positively react to anything. But he couldn't contradict her point. Giving Shelby back some level of power - even if it was just for a stupid school project - could be just what she needed. "Just think how awkward Shakespeare's actors all felt in Romeo and Juliet..."

"It isn't about acting, or being in Japan, or musicals," he murmured quietly, his voice hesitant as he tried to find a way to explain the anger he'd felt, and the betrayal he'd experienced just thinking about her kissing someone else, no doubt smiling in that carefree way she did when he held her... "You don't get it...." He looked up at her, his eyes examining hers as he found himself numb enough to his own words. "When you think about me kissing Blair, what does that mean to you? Why is everyone surprised that I'd be worried about the same things with you?" He turned back to the dryer, letting out a slow breath. "I hate that I made you feel that way, Erin. But it doesn't make me any less afraid that there are better guys for you, and that they won't stop just because I'm here."

He had some very good examples for her of people who weren't very good at sticking together with the people they said they loved. He had a lot of examples of people who were good at stealing, breaking, and tearing down other peoples' relationships. My own dad, for instance. Aren't dads supposed to be a prime example of how a kid sees relationships or something mental like that? You should know, Erin. I'm sure your dad would tell you until your ear fell off.

"Yeah, I know. The whole thing is stupid and me overreacting..." he frowned into his knees, "But, acting or not, you're still kissing someone else, and you're perfectly fine with it... And I know that if I stand on the sidelines, watching you guys... I know I'll start doing stupid things. Things that'll just be me being ridiculous again. So it's best if I just don't take any part. I don't think I can do it."

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

"Either way, I don't like them. And I didn't ask to be here. And I don't like putting my girlfriend and I in a situation where she spends her time locking lips with some other guy while I watch."

"What the heck is your problem?"

Then Yukito ran out. Kagayaki started to move after his friend out of instinct. 'Don't leave, please! Yukito, please! Don't leave!' "Yukito!" was all that came out. He looked over at his friends, trying to hide the shame he felt. And the fear. 'I trusted you...'

"Awesome. Just...fantastic." Cassie said with a sigh. Kagayaki looked at her, sadly. "Should someone go try and talk some sense into that thick skull of his? Any volunteers? Anyone?"

Kagayaki didn't hear Erin start talking, so he tried to explain Yukitokun's behavior as best as he could. "I... I'm sorry...Yukitokun... is... is very nervous...Nervous I been... takin' Erinchan away..."

"Which is stupid." Cassie muttered.

Kagayaki looked up at her, frowning. "No... Silly... demo, no--"

It was Erinchan's turn to cut him off. "No, he's not."

Kagayaki tried to keep going. "He don'... don' un-unders'and... He very-very nervous sometimes...Maybe... he jus' need... time. Maybe...Maybe, we keep goin', yah? Tell him later, yah?" That earned a frown from Erinchan. "Gomen..." he whispered. "Sorly..."

"Will that help?" Cassie sighed. Kagayaki took Cassie's hand again, holding it tighter. 'There's nothing we can do. Erinchan might be able to help, but you and me... we're helpless. Like usual.'

"Y'all, I think--" Erinchan started, but Shelbychan cut her off. Kagayaki looked up at Shelby, a little defensive. There was no way she hadn't heard Erinchan. 'Just because this is your musical, doesn't mean you can be mean to my imouto. Be considerate if you're going to talk.'

"I'm getting a snack. Why don't you see if that CD is broken, Aidousan, and if it's not you can put it on for a bit while we wait. I can get Cassie to fill you in on what you missed--it wasn't a lot. And Cassie and Erin...Cassie, go get your first costume on, just to see how it fits. Erin, you can study your script or try on a costume or go try and talk to your stubborn boyfriend, I don't care."

Kagayaki sighed as she, too, left the room. 'And the hime, Shelbychan, exits. Here we go... Everyone's gonna leave me again. This ALWAYS happens.'

"Fine, I will," Erinchan said, walking out.

'SEE?!?' He bit his lip, holding Cassie's hand tighter still. 'Please don't leave me too... I love you...'

Instead of leaving, Cassie leaned her head on his shoulder. Kagayaki closed his eyes, feeling a smile on his face. 'Thank you, kanojo. You don't know how much it means to me that you're still here.' "You're still in, right? It'll be fun..." she said, and Kagayaki laughed. He set his CD down on a chair then turned and took both of her hands in his, looking right into her eyes.

"I... I be here for you. Chikaou. P...Promise." He leaned in and kissed her lips deftly, then pulled back and looked into her face. "I have has thing teaches you," he told her, winking. "Listen." Kagayaki leaned in a little closer, speaking very clearly. "Kitto daijobu. Will defin'tly be... alrigh'." Laughing, he took her face in his hands and kissed the top of her head. "I love you." That was one of the only phrases he could say absolutely clearly: 'I love you'. It was Cassie's fault. He loved her so much, he'd literally sat for hours teaching himself how to say it correctly.

'I mean it. I do love you. I know I'm messed up... we both are. Demo, kitto daijobu. You know it will.'

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

It was like a cruel joke, seeing Shelby's project fall apart before it had even really begun. Cassie shot a hopeless look at her sister, but Shelby was already in damage control mode, taking stock of the situation and trying to find the right solution for whatever was wrong with Yukito at the moment. Or, at least, that's what the old Shelby would have done. This Shelby just abandoned them as well, heading towards the safety of the kitchen with some barked orders and a lame excuse. Cassie shook her head. I thought this would make you better, Shelby. I thought this was what could bring you back to what you used to be. But now I'm not so sure.

"Erin, you can study your script or try on a costume or go try and talk to your stubborn boyfriend, I don't care." Her tone was so flippant as to be cruel, and Cassie was sure that she wasn't the only one who noticed how inconsiderate Shelby was being. Hey, Shelby, think about the four of us. We're all doing this for you, don't you see that? None of us volunteered for this, but they're doing it because it's for you and because I said it might be fun. And now I can see that neither of those things matter to you...come on, Shelby, you know better than this! I know you do!

"Fine, I will," said Erin, her tone almost perfectly mirroring Shelby's. Cassie gave a defeated sigh as Kagayaki's grip on her hand tightened so much Cassie felt like she was losing a bit of her circulation to her fingertips. At this point, though, she was too upset to care. We haven't even been doing this for a full hour yet and it's all ruined. Story of my life. She leaned her head against his shoulder for support. "You're still in, right? It'll be fun..."

He laughed. Maybe that was a good sign, or maybe he was just trying to make her feel better. Cassie didn't care. "I... I be here for you. Chikaou. P...Promise."

A little smile crossed Cassie's lips. "I appreciate that, you know, but it's only a musical...it's not like I'm joining the army or something, you know. Or, like, a convent--" Whatever she was going to say after that was cut off by his kiss. After a brief moment of fearful hesitation, she returned it for a moment before pulling away, apology in her eyes. I'm sorry. I can't do that yet, not for long...just take it slow with me, please? Please? I feel awful for it...but I can't. I just can't.

"I have has thing teaches you. Listen." Cassie did as she was told, paying careful attention as he said, "Kitto daijobu. Will defin'tly be... alrigh'."

"It will definitely be all right," Cassie repeated. "Kitto...dye-jo-boo." She winced a little at her pronunciation. "Did I say it right?"

"I love you."

"I love you too," she echoed, realizing with a start that she hadn't said that in a while. Not just to him, but to anyone.

She smiled at him. "We'd better start working on something, or Shelby will eat us alive. So. First things first. Have you ever heard of Phantom of the Opera before, at all? Besides from what I told you about it?"

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Yukito... why are you so upset? Didn't you ever do acting in Japan?" She couldn't figure if he was put off by a fear that she'd forget who she really loved, or maybe he thought she was really that fickle, or what... and it worried her. She tried her best to reassure him otherwise. "Pretending to be someone else for some school project isn't gonna make me quit loving you, you know that, right? And look at Shelby, Yukito... this is making her better. I don't want to see her fall back again..." No response, so she tried to at least elicit a smile or some sign of life from him. "Just think how awkward Shakespeare's actors all felt in Romeo and Juliet..."

Well, Erin earned a response, but not the one she'd really been hoping for... "It isn't about acting, or being in Japan, or musicals," he murmured quietly. Erin didn't know what it could be then, and, out of ideas, she reached out to touch her hand to his back. An attempted gesture of encouragement. "You don't get it...." Her heart sank. God, how she hated that phrase... it felt worse even from him. I'm sorry... I'm really trying...

He looked up at her intently. "When you think about me kissing Blair, what does that mean to you? Why is everyone surprised that I'd be worried about the same things with you?" Erin's eyes widened with the analogy, but Yukito just looked away again. You're afraid I'll quit loving you as much? You're afraid I would forget you? What? I don't understand, what is it? Don't you feel how much I love you? "I... I don't..." She trailed off, not wanting to admit it. She should know exactly what he meant.

"I hate that I made you feel that way, Erin. But it doesn't make me any less afraid that there are better guys for you, and that they won't stop just because I'm here."

"Who's better than you?" Erin asked, leaning in closer to him with the emphasis of her words. "And here it's just you and-- and Kagayaki out there, and I love him, but no." She smiled at him, hoping he registered her honesty.

Yukito didn't sound satisfied with that. At all. Crap... well I screwed that one up, didn't I? Try again, then... whatever... "Yeah, I know. The whole thing is stupid and me overreacting..." He pulled into himself a little bit more. "But, acting or not, you're still kissing someone else, and you're perfectly fine with it... And I know that if I stand on the sidelines, watching you guys... I know I'll start doing stupid things. Things that'll just be me being ridiculous again. So it's best if I just don't take any part. I don't think I can do it."

Oooh... That made more sense now. He meant that he felt jealous. Over her.

...It was kind of a nice feeling to know Yukito could get that jealous of her.

But still, he was hurting now because of it, because he misunderstood her back there, too... "Kissing someone else, and you're perfectly fine with it." She smiled, leaning against him and pulling her arm around his shoulders. "I am not perfectly fine with it, Yukito... It's weird for me. Like seriously. Do you know how many people I've kissed besides you? And this is a guy that's like... practically related to me, and it's really weird. I was all weird and chipper-y about it because that's how, I dunno, I'll deal with the awkwardness or whatever. I'm not totally okay with it."

Erin leaned down to catch his face, and gave his cheek a kiss. "Hey, if it's this serious, I'm sure we can work around it. Shelby can go suck a lemon. We can just fake it... stage-kiss." Her expression brightened. "It's like stage-fighting, but with less imaginary blood!"

Shifting as if she were about to get to her feet again, Erin pulled on Yukito a little. "Can we please go back? Please? I want to play with the costumes." She grinned at him. "And yours, too." She paused and looked at him again. "I promise it'll be fine. Really, Yukito." As if it proved her point, she kissed his lips before puling just slightly away and prodding one more time, "C'mon!"

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

He looked up at her intently. "When you think about me kissing Blair, what does that mean to you? Why is everyone surprised that I'd be worried about the same things with you?" Erin's eyes widened, and he looked away, ashamed of himself all over again now that he'd brought up the intensely-avoided subject.

"I... I don't..." Don't what? Don't ever think about it? Don't want to? Don't know what I'm talking about? It still affects me. I still feel stupid and sorry for the whole thing. Because I know what it means to you, and to us.

"I hate that I made you feel that way, Erin. But it doesn't make me any less afraid that there are better guys for you, and that they won't stop just because I'm here."

"Who's better than you?" He didn't answer her, staring ahead trying not to cave completely as she leaned in closer to him. Guys that you don't have to be afraid to hold on to. Guys that won't push you away. "And here it's just you and-- and Kagayaki out there, and I love him, but no."

"Yeah, I know," he muttered bitterly, "The whole thing is stupid and me overreacting..." He withdrew just a little more. "But, acting or not, you're still kissing someone else, and you're perfectly fine with it... And I know that if I stand on the sidelines, watching you guys... I know I'll start doing stupid things. Things that'll just be me being ridiculous again. So it's best if I just don't take any part. I don't think I can do it."

"Kissing someone else, and you're perfectly fine with it." She echoed, smiling, leaning against him and pulling her arm around his shoulders. He let her. "I am not perfectly fine with it, Yukito... It's weird for me. Like seriously. Do you know how many people I've kissed besides you? And this is a guy that's like... practically related to me, and it's really weird. I was all weird and chipper-y about it because that's how, I dunno, I'll deal with the awkwardness or whatever. I'm not totally okay with it."

Erin leaned down to catch his face, and gave his cheek a kiss. "Hey, if it's this serious, I'm sure we can work around it. Shelby can go suck a lemon. We can just fake it... stage-kiss." Her expression brightened. "It's like stage-fighting, but with less imaginary blood!" He couldn't help it - he smiled at that one. Erin started to pull on him again, trying to get him off the floor. "Can we please go back? Please? I want to play with the costumes." She grinned at him. "And yours, too."

Yukito curled his lip in playful distaste. "I'm already wearing a costume." He glanced down at the awkward looking shorts. Then he paused to look at her. "You know I love you, right?"

"I promise it'll be fine. Really, Yukito." As if it proved her point, she kissed his lips before pulling just slightly away and prodding one more time. He knew he'd just have to trust her with this. And he'd have to trust Aidousan, too. There was no way to keep moving forward like this, and they all knew it. He just wished he could have avoided the whole musical. The whole situation. "C'mon!"

Reluctantly, he let her pull him along, trying to figure out a way to save face when he went back into the room with everyone else.

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

"I... I be here for you. Chikaou. P...Promise."

She smiled at him... just a little, but it was beautiful. "I appreciate that, you know, but it's only a musical...it's not like I'm joining the army or something, you know. Or, like, a convent--"

'Don't be silly,' he thought, kissing her, trying to keep her smiling. Of course, he should have remembered kissing her always ruined things. What reminded him was when she pulled away, the smile completely gone. 'I'm sorry,' he told her with his eyes, taking a deep breath then smiling again, trying to keep going 'like it never happened - because that was what Cassie always did.

"I have has thing teaches you. Listen." He leaned in closer to her, and she listened patiently. "Kitto daijobu. Will defin'tly be... alrigh'."

"It will definitely be all right," Cassie echoed. Kagayaki nodded. "Un," he confirmed. "Kitto...dye-jo-boo." She looked a little pained; he just smiled at her. 'Beautiful.' "Did I say it right?"

"Yes," he said with a smile. Kagayaki sighed, looking deep into her eyes. "I love you." And he meant it too. Did she know that? He was trying to be good enough for her. He was. Did she know that too?

"I love you too." It felt so good to hear her say that again! And she smiled! 'I have to remember, telling her how much I love her works much better than a kiss. Yes, they're suppose to mean the same thing, but... not with Cassie. And I have to think about what will make Cassie happy.' "We'd better start working on something, or Shelby will eat us alive. So. First things first. Have you ever heard of Phantom of the Opera before, at all? Besides from what I told you about it?"

Shrugging, he looked down at the CD in his hand. "Chotto..." he muttered, tilting his head a little. The CD didn't look broken... Kagayaki held it up for Cassie to see. "We... we lis'en? Futari, toge'her?"