"Oi! What's wrong with you? Are you alright?"Kazuki  asks their front man Byou. Byou only shakes his head.

"You haven't found her, have you?"

"Well, she doesn't want to be found." Rui interjected.

"That’s right. If a person doesn't want to be found, she will definitely do everything to cover her tracks. " Jin agrees while fiddling with his drum set.

" And you did not even get her name. Sorry to say this Byou, but don't you think it’s time to just give up? It’s been 3 weeks. " Manabu asks.

"She’s different! Dammit!"Byou bursts out.

The rest of the band just looked at each other then at the bent  head of Screw's vocals and shook their heads. He has been like this since that night.

 

It was the last night of their series of gig at live houses around Japan for the summer. Everyone were in high spirits, adrenaline were pumping, and both the fans and the band were having the time of their lives. After the show the band decided to accept the invitation of the live house/club owner to stay a while and have a couple of drinks. As they were sitting around a table reserved for them, Byou looked around the club. Only a handful of people were sitting on various places in the club. The fans had left long after they finished doing the signing and meet and greet. He  noticed a girl sitting alone by the bar. He is liking what he saw. She has layered black hair with blond tips halfway on her back. She's wearing tight black jeans that hugs her curves the right way. Her waist was so narrow that his open palm is enough to span that waist.

Alix felt the hairs on her neck stood up and sent shivers down her spine, confirming her suspicions that somebody is looking at her. And that somebody is taking their fill. As not to alert that somebody that she noticed, she suddenly turned her head to see who was looking at her. Her eyes collided with the light blue eyes of Byou. She turned back shocked. She calmed her raising heart. "This is not good. This is not good." repeating the words like a mantra. And before she does something stupid, she decided to leave. she stood up from the bar stool, reached for her wallet on the back pocket of her jeans got some bills and left it under her empty tequila shot  glass and put on her black leather jacket as she walks towards the club's door.

Byou can’t believe what he just saw. "She’s beautiful!" and got a shock of his life when she suddenly stood up and started to leave, a reaction he doesn't get when he makes eye contact with the opposite . She had her chained wallet between her teeth as she dons her jacket while walking towards the exit.

Alix pushed the door with her right hand and used the left to put back her wallet on her back pocket. She breathe a sigh of relief once she was out. She took deep calming breaths while the chain of her wallet.

"Whew! That was close!"

 

Byou stood up and started to follow the girl.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Kazuki asks.

"I’m going out to get some fresh air." was the reply from Byou.

Everyone in the table looked at each other confused. Byou never "go out to get some fresh air" especially when they are drinking. They just shrugged their shoulders and continued drinking.

Alix started to walk towards the parking lot near the club, but a hand suddenly grabbed her arm. She turned around ready to kick some , but faltered when she saw whose hand was holding her arm.

Byou can't take his eyes off of her. She's more beautiful up close.

Alix decided to feign not knowing how to speak Japanese.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

"Sorry, if I scared you. I'm Byou. I would like to invite you to have a drink with me and my band mates." Byou answered in his Japanese accented English as he let go of her arm.

Alix can’t believe what she was hearing. "Byou is inviting me to go drinking with him and the rest of screw! Oh my god! I don't think I can do this! And definitely not now!"She screams in her head.

"I’m sorry but I....."

"If you don't want to drink with the rest, is it ok if it will be just the two of us? I know another place near here. Please?" he pleaded  when she saw her hesitation.

"Ok...." Alix answered when she saw his pleading face. "One member of the band I can handle, but all of them all at once no way!"

"Alright then! Let me just go back inside for a second and we'll go. Just stay here, ok? Wait for me please?"

"Yeah, sure."

Byou almost collided with some people coming out of the club as he hastily went back inside.

"Did you get some fresh air?" Kazuki  teased when Byou approached their table.

"Sorry guys but I have to go." Byou told his band mates and the others at the table.

"Takaki-san, thank you for letting us play here. Sorry for leaving early, I really need to go." Byou said turning to the owner who was sitting with them and giving a small bow. And before Takaki-san can say anything Byou is already on his way to where he came from.

"Where are you going?" Kazuki shouted as Byou goes out of the door.

"Hmmm..." Jin whispered with a playful smirk on his face.

Manabu noticed Jin and asked "do you know where Byou is going?"

"Well, all I know is he will have more fun wherever he is going."

"Huh? I don't understand...."

"Manabu, do we really need to spell this out for you?"Rui butted in

"But I really don’t get it!"

"What is the could be a  reason Byou suddenly disappears on us?"Rui asks.

"Girls?"

"Need I say more?"Rui slaps his forehead with his palm.

"Ah ha! That's why he wanted to get some fresh air earlier. He followed the girl sitting by the bar that just left."

"Manabu, sometimes I really don’t get how you can be observant and dense at the same time." Jin sighed.

"But I think I’ve seen that girl before. I just don’t remember where."

"Maybe she's a fan that you have seen and meet before on one of our meet and greets."

"No. I’ve seen her before but not as a fan."

"Which girl is it?"Kazuki joined in.

"The girl with blond tips that was sitting by the bar."

"Yeah, she looks familiar..." Kazuki agreed.

"Can we just forget about Byou and his girl? Let’s have fun on our own! Kampai!"Jin lifted his bottle to the people around the table.

"Kampai!"Everyone cheered.

 

"Let’s go?" Byou asks Alix.

"Is it ok for you just to leave your band and staff just like that?"

"Yeah. They're ok with it."

Byou did a double take.

"You speak Japanese?!"

"Hai. I do." Alix answered with a smile.

"The bar is two blocks away. Is it ok if we just walk going there?"

"Not a problem."

"So, do you live here in Japan?"He asks as they walk.

"Yup."

"How long?"

"More than 5 years I think."

"But the way you speak Japanese it's like you grew up here."

"In a way, I grew up here in japan. I started coming here every time school is out since I was 12."

"But you speak fluent Japanese and English."

"Well, my older half brother made sure that I learn Japanese when I was a kid since he wanted me to live here with his family . So he got me tutors to teach me everything I need to know."

"And you’re English?"

"It was taught in school as a second language and it helped that I stayed in the Canada  for 3 years."

"Here we are." as Byou stopped in front of a dimly lit establishment.

"Looks nice." Alix uttered as they enter.

"Table for two, sir?"Asked the waiter.

Byou nods in agreement to the waiter. The waiter showed them in a secluded area of the bar.

The waiter gave them the menu when they were sitted, and left them. Byou can’t take eyes from Alix’s face. Her eyes were a mesmerizing light shade of brown, her small straight nose, and her y pouty lips can make any man hot under the collar. Alix blushed when she noticed him staring at her. Byou smiled at her.

Alix is getting nervous." Dont use that y smile on me, or else I’ll forget my promise to my cousin!"She yelled in her mind. Alix's rant with herself came to a stop when the waiter came back to take their order. Byou looked at Alix for her order.

"Tequila please." the waiter nodded. "Sorry, I don’t drink beer. It gets me drunk faster, and I hate the taste.” as a way of explanation to byou.

"Bring us a bottle, please. " Byou ordered and also included some finger foods to go with their drinks.

Alix gave him a questioning look as the waiter leaves the table, because at the club she saw that he was drinking beer, .

"It doesn't matter. It's good to be adventurous sometimes." he gave her again that smile making her heart pound. Alix smiled back.

"What do you do?" Byou queried.

"I’m a freelancer."

"What do you mean?"

"I work for several companies and do several jobs."

She received a confused stare from Byou.

"I work for my brother's family's company as a consultant of some sort, work for a publishing house, do some university work, work for my brother's cousin if I need to and some other stuff ." Alix explained.

"Isn’t that hard? Working for several people?"

"Not necessarily, as long as I have my schedule fixed and all details are ironed out, I basically own my time. I can work when I want and how I want, so it's great."

The waiter came back with their orders and the two of them started drinking. Byou asked a lot of questions and Alix answered all of them without revealing too much about herself.

Byou found her different and interesting. He never meet anyone like her until now.

"I know it's a bit late to ask you this but do you have a boyfriend?"

"I won't be here with you if I did, do I?"

He smiled at her answer.

 

Byou saw that their second  bottle of tequila is almost empty. And Alix is nowhere near on being drunk. She can hold her liquor which is not bad. Alix kept her lips. This is the one thing she hates when she drinks her lips felt dry and can't stop wetting them with her tongue. Byou saw her her lips again, and without thinking he reached over and pressed his lips to hers. Alix was surprised when Byou reached over and kissed her, but did not pull away. Byou waited for her to pull away but when she didn't, he decided to deepen the kiss. Byou started to move his lips, and really started tasting Alix’s lips. He her lips with his tongue. Alix gave a startled gasp when she felt Byou's tongue slide on her lower lip, she felt her eyes close. He felt her gasp and he took the opportunity to capture her lower lip to on. Her taste is addictively sweet. Then he felt her tentatively kissing him back. He gave a low growl and continues to feast on her lips. After sometime he gently put a small distance between them but touched his forehead to hers as he catch his breath. Alix kept her eyes closed as she slowly calmed her racing heart.

"Wow!" she muttered with a small smile on her lips.