CHAPTER ONE

JAPAN WAS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE STATES. A huge cultural shock compared to your busy lifestyle in New York City. You still could remember your father's long lecture about being aware of your surroundings, don't talk to strangers, going with your instincts in some locations, and so much more. You would think you were still that young sixteen-year-old girl who was raised by their single dad after the death of your mother, but you were way over age. In the fall you would be a graduating senior at Julliard, you lived alone in a lovely apartment in New York City, you taught dance classes when you had free time and any adult type of activities. You were a functioning young adult whose father still wanted to shelter you away from the world as if you were a hopeless Rapunzel.

It took some convincing for your father to let you go to a ballet convention in Japan for the summer, especially if he was going to be funding it. You planned to rent out a room, get as much knowledge as possible at this convention so you could be prepared for your senior year at Julliard, and then return home. Your father didn't agree with that plan. He only agreed when your godmother Utahime Iori agreed to keep an eye on you.

Utahime Iori was an international ballet superstar and your late mom's best friend. They met when they both were competing for the lead in Swan Lake, which was given to your mom. But your mother stepped down from the role when she became pregnant with you. The friendship between the two still blossomed from your mom being in the front row on the opening night to cheer Utahime on to your mom even keying Utahime's boyfriend's car while six months pregnant with you. Utahime would always admit to you that your mom felt like she was her twin flame. They were insufferable when they were apart and together. Such a close bond and your mom's death took a toll on Utahime. It hit her like a truck hitting a concrete wall at full speed. It sucked Utahime's love for ballet right away, but the woman still stuck by your side within the journey of your ballet career.

She held your hand as the people around you threw pity your way during the funeral. She defended your passion for dance to your father as if she was defending an important law case. She did your hair for recitals. She stayed up late helping you come up with your Juilliard audition piece. She played the role of your godmother so well that you knew deep down your mom was smiling down on the both of you.

You were so excited to spend the summer in Utahime's home country. You knew she was going to want you to practice for the ballet convention because every summer—a dancer is chosen to dance an original piece in front of many known people. From choreographers, dance tour coordinators, and of course, famous ballet royalty. You didn't want this spot to be given to you considering who your mother was and the fact that Utahime helped fund the convention in the first place. She told you specifically that you won't get special privileges, that if it's a better dancer—they will not think twice about replacing you. That's just how wicked the world of ballet was. When it came to ballet, you didn't have time to cry about not getting the lead in a dance when the time you were feeling pity for yourself—you could be using it to make yourself better. Those were the words your former ballet instructor explicitly told you and those were the words you kept in your head up to this day.

"We need to lay down some ground rules," Utahime stated as she placed a plate of food in front of you.

"Please don't tell me, my dad gave you some rules." You whined.

"No, these are my own rules," Utahime said. She sat down at the table clearing her throat. "Practice comes first. I don't care what you're doing, I text you to come practice...come! This is not like the states, the dancers here sleep, eat, and breath dance."

"Okay."

"No big distractions. I understand you most likely will want to mingle, you're my very beautiful goddaughter—but please remember what you're originally here for." Utahime adds.

"No Summer flings, gotcha!"

"Okay, I didn't say that. Just be mindful of who you are flinging with." Utahime corrected.

"During your free time, please don't associate yourself with the wrong crowd," Utahime adds. "A ballerina with a criminal record isn't cute no matter how good you look in your mugshot."

"Don't get arrested, noted. Any other rules?" You took a bite out of your food.

"Enjoy your summer, but please be mindful of what you're here for. If you get to dance an original piece, it will look wonderful in your portfolio for when you graduate next Spring and that's the endgame."

"Of course! So, can I go exploring?" You eagerly asked. You gave your godmother those innocent puppy dog eyes that she has seen so many times since you were younger.

"Fine, but please be safe. I will be stopping at the dance studio, so when you're done exploring—meet me there." Utahime says.

You pushed yourself out of your seat and would go over to Utahime pulling her into a hug. Mumbling many thank yous and even kissing her cheek. "Thank you! I promise I'll be at the studio at a reasonable time!" You yelled as you were going to leave.

You didn't even let Utahime get a word out before you're heading out of Utahime's apartment and essentially your home for the summer. You walked towards the elevator as you were walking, your face was buried in your phone updating your father on how you were doing. Even though he was most likely sleeping soundly back in New York, you still didn't want to have him so worried during your three months here. You never understood the protectiveness your father had over you. Although it was a duty for fathers to protect their children as if their life depended on it—your father took it a little too far. Especially after your mother's death, he once tried to take your love of ballet away from you. Arguing that it was the reason that broke your mom down and he refused to let you follow your mother's dark path. Whatever that meant. Your mother's death was a hushed secret that no one wanted to talk about. No one talked about what pushed her to do it, not even Utahime.

So what exactly did your father mean by ballet being the reason your mother took a dark path?

When you made it to the street, you opened Google and decided to search if any record shops were nearby. In the guest room, you were staying in, Utahime mentioned it being a record player a close friend gave to her and you were eager to use it during your time here. However, Utahime didn't have any vinyl records at all. She claimed that her career pushed her away from home quite often, so what was the point of buying vinyl records for a record player that only was collecting dust in her guest bedroom?

The first record shop that popped up was Suguru Records. You clicked on how far it was and wasn't much of a walk. You placed your earbuds in your ear and soon Jazmine Sullivan was blasting through your ears. You took in everything around you as you were walking. From the architect of each building to the locals that are out and about. You enjoyed this atmosphere so much better than the busy streets of New York City during the rush hour of going to work or coming home from work. It was a soothing atmosphere and it made you even more excited to spend a summer here. Granted, the stares you were receiving as you were walking to your destination—it wasn't anything new from the stares you received when you went to different ballet events around the world.

When you finally got to the record shop, you entered it with a smile. The first thing you noticed when you entered it was empty. To you, that wasn't good considering that anyone could come in and take what they wanted and leave. You figured that the familiar bell that would annoyingly ring when the record shop door would push open would cause the employees to hurriedly run to the front of the store. You let your fingers brush against the records as you walked down a random aisle specifically looking for the classical section. You could already imagine how beautiful the tune of a popular classical song humming out the record player while you practice in the living room of Utahime's place. But as you walked around the record shop, you didn't even see a section for classical music. However, you did pick up a couple of your favorite R&B albums as you were snooping around.

You heard the familiar bell and your eyes darted to the door and you saw a man with long black hair carrying a box into the shop. He had gauges in his ears and if you were being honest, if you looked closely—he looked familiar. As if you saw him on a magazine cover or something. When his eyes met yours and then scanned over the shop, he let out a sigh before slowly dropping the box he was carrying near the register. "Welcome to Suguru Records, I'll be right back." He flashed you a kind smile before disappearing in the back.

You could hear some ruckus in the back and what you assumed was the guy who greeted you voice, "I told you two gremlins to stop leaving the front end unattended!"

Soon the gentleman returned with two guys. He had a grip on the back of their work uniform shirts as if he was a father pitbull lifting his pups by their fur to help them get around better. One of the guys looked at the long-haired gentleman and gave him a deadpan smile, "It's a slow day and it looks like the customer doesn't even need help. You said it yourself, if it's slow—Choso and I can work on our music." One said.

The man let go of the back of the two guys' shirts and he would push one of them towards you. "Noritoshi, you start unloading that box near the register. Choso, you go help the customer before I fire both of you."

Noritoshi was near the register mumbling something under his breath before his boss glanced in his direction. "Do you have anything to say, Noritoshi?" The long-haired gentleman asked.

Noritoshi shook his head, "Oh no, just asking if you were stepping out again, Geto?" He forced a fake smile.

"Yes, an old friend is in town. So please be sure to lock up when we close." Geto pointed his finger at him and then at Choso before he exited again.

You went back to looking through the records before you could hear someone clear your throat. When you glanced up, there he stood. His hair was tugged into two ponytails. But it was one unique thing about him that caused you to stare at him as if he was the most attractive guy you've seen. A birthmark decorated his face that imprinted from his cheeks across his nose and on his other cheek. It was quite a unique birthmark, something you had never seen before. "Since that guy that just left signs my checks, I am here to ask if you need help with anything." His monotone voice trailed off as he was avoiding as much eye contact as possible.

"Oh yes—do you guys have anything from any classical composers?" You asked and you watched Choso's face scrunched up in pure disgust.

"Classical?" Choso asked.

"Yes, I'll take anything at this moment." You said. "My godmother has this record player and I just know a classical record would sound so good on it."

"Classical?" Choso repeated just to make sure you understand what you just said.

"Yes, did I not say it loud enough?" You asked in a frustrated manner.

Choso held up his hand in a defensive mood and would glance over at Noritoshi who was unloading the box of new vinyl records they received. "Hey, check in the back to see if we have anything for the classical genre!"

"Classical?" Noritoshi looked up and you wanted to question if the two were related with the way Noritoshi mimicked the exact face of disgust that Choso did. "I think we have some stuff in the back though."

Noritoshi would waltz into the back to search for the small number of vinyl records they did have. They weren't selling, so Geto simply thought they were taking up space from other vinyl records.

You felt the vinyl records that were once in your arms getting gently pulled from your arm. Choso would flip through your options and you watched as he was looking at your vinyl records quite impressed. He held up the vinyl record for Lucky Daye's Painted, he had a sly grin on his face. If you were bold enough, you would admit that sly grin on his face was cute.

"I have this one." He said. "You have nice music taste, minus the classical thing." He snickered before he handed you the records back.

"You don't look like the type to like—" Your words were cut off by him.

"Lucky Daye music?"

"Yes." You admitted as you pulled your records closer to your chest.

"Music is something so magical and versatile. It's a bit insane to stick to one genre isn't it?" Choso asked as his back leaned against the record case behind him. His arms folded over his chest and you instantly noticed that his broad arms flexed in his black uniform shirt that had Suguru Records on it.

"But doesn't that contradict you making that face when I mentioned classical music?" You asked, your perfectly arched eyebrows raised at him.

He chuckles at your statement, "I guess it does..." His voice trails off as his dark-colored eyes gloss over your plump lip gloss-covered lips while he is searching for your name.

"Y/N." You answered.

"I'm just curious as to why you would be interested in classical music?" Choso walked towards the register with you not too far behind him. "You don't look like the type of girl who-"

Now it was your time to interrupt him, "See, you're contradicting yourself again. You just said that music is such a special thing that you can't just stick to one genre. Judging a book by its cover, something I did a few minutes ago." You said.

Choso chuckled as he was beginning to ring up your vinyl records. "I guess we judged each other then." Choso's eyes met with yours.

"Yup." You answered before immediately breaking eye contact. Your cheeks felt so hot at the moment, you felt like you stood outside in ninety degrees weather with no water.

Noritoshi came back with a box of vinyl records. "These are the only ones we have. I'm pretty sure Geto put them at a discontinued price also." He placed the box on the counter. "If we were the managers, we would give you this box for free."

You giggled at his comment before flipping through the box. "It's okay." You picked three random types of vinyl and placed them on the counter. "I'm sure I'll probably buy them all by the time the Summer is over with."

You paid for the records and Choso gave you the bag with all of them on it. It was a cute black reusable bag with the store's logo on it. Choso leaned against the counter and placed his head in the palm of his hand, never actually taking his eyes off of you. There you were completely avoiding his eye contact.

Noritoshi was looking through the box of classical music vinyl records. "So, are you saying you actually enjoy this stuff?" He asked.

"I've listened to that genre since I was in my mother's stomach. It's practically imprinted in my brain," You admitted as you could feel your phone vibrate in your back pocket.

You quickly looked at the text and saw Utahime's S.O.S text message. She must have needed you at the dance studio. "But I have to run, godmother needs me. I think I'll see you guys around." You began to walk towards the exit but Choso's voice stopped you & caused you to turn to look in his direction.

"Yes, you will." He admitted with a smile.

Your cheeks burnt, your words got stuck in your throat, and your brain turned into complete mush. You couldn't say much, but you returned the smile before eventually leaving the record shop.

"No distractions this summer, Y/N. No distractions this summer, Y/N." You repeat to yourself as you are walking back towards Utahime's place.

But as you continued to walk, you could hear someone yelling your name. When you turned around, Choso was jogging up to you to catch up to you.

"You should come out and see me perform," Choso was fishing in his jeans pockets until he pulled out a tiny folded-up piece of paper.

"You're a singer? You continue to shock me, but then again that's me judging you by your looks again," You admitted.

"I'm in a band. Well, it's only Noritoshi and I right now. We're still looking for other members, but I would love for you to come." He finally unfolded the paper to reveal a flyer. He extended the paper for you to grab.

"I'll see if I can make it. I'm going to be quite a busy girl this summer, so I don't want to get your hopes up." You said as you took the flyer from him. Your eyes scan over the flyer that looked like he kept it as a souvenir more than to promote that he was performing.

"You're only going to be here for a summer?" Choso eyebrows raised at you.

"Yeah." You folded the paper back up to give back to him, but he motioned for you to keep it just in case you could make it.

Choso heard Noritoshi calling him from the front door of the record shop and he would slowly walk backward with a smile. His eyes you couldn't read just yet never looked away from you before he's parting his lips to speak.

"That gives us three months!" Choso says as he was walking backward.

"Three months to do what?" You asked out loud.

"Three months to get to know each. I'm kinda intrigued on why you're a classical music fan in this year of 2022." He yells back at you before giving you a sly wave and heading back into the record shop.

You turned around once again, flustered as ever. You couldn't even hide the foolish smile on your face at the moment.

This was going to be an interesting summer.