TheCharredDragon
Tis the Hour to Reload
Summary: (Adult Musicians AU) Yosuke was just playing his guitar on the streets for some cash when a stranger pops up and spends time with him. He didn't expect her to be so nice...or come back again and again. Not that he's complaining.
A tale of two lovers meeting on a doomed ship... The journey of a tiny man to rid of a cursed ring... And the quest of a girl to save her parents from the spirit world...
To absolutely no one's surprise, Yosuke only got money thrown into his guitar case for playing the soundtrack of the last movie. He had hoped that the quality of the music would convince them by themselves but apparently he should've known better. But still... He sighed as he counted what he got for the past hour before he pocketed them. ...he didn't really have much of a singing voice. He didn't really want to play any songs that had vocals without doing his own, especially his favorite songd by Risette, but that probably wouldn't matter at this rate.
Oh well, if he was going to do an instrumental version of songs with vocals, he might as well do it with some foreign songs.
So he started with the first that came to mind.
O-o-oh child, things are gonna get easier...
He closed his eyes, feeling the wood and metal under his fingertips. His hands slid across the neck of his guitar easily as he played the notes and chords to the song's melody and background. His foot tapped a steady beat, matching the song's. And the rest of his body moved bobbed along with it. But it wasn't long before he was close to the end of the song and so, on a whim, he decided to mash it with another.
Some day, yeah...some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck...
Soon, he didn't hear the steps of the people ignoring him, the roar of the vehicles passing by nor the cacophony of the ads on the video billboards of the buildings around him. It was just Yosuke, his bucket chair, and his guitar. Nothing more, nothing less. At least until the medley of random songs ended and he was back on a street of late night Shibuya.
"Gah!"
And to the company of a stranger in a hoodie, sunglasses and a mask.
"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she said, her voice quiet but her pitch high.
Yosuke blinked. Now that he got a better look at her, she was also wearing a short jeans and pink rubber shoes. But her jacke was still baggy enough that he wouldn't have known she was a girl. Still, a girl scaring him? Since when did he become such a scaredy cat?
Yosuke chuckled, embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his head. "Eh, no problem," he said.
It was then his brain caught on to the fact that he had a person who clearly was interested in his playing so he then said,
"Any requests?"
If Yosuke had to guess, the woman blinked at his words as she said, "Huh? Oh uh..." She hummed, brooding, before she shook her head. "No, not really. Just keep on playing."
Okay, maybe he should've expected that but still. He thought she would've have wanted something to play. Like a pop song or something.
Yosuke squinted at her. Well, if she wasn't going to request anything, then he'd just play something that she probably wouldn't want...and the first thing that came to mind was the Prelude of Partita No. 3 by Bach. Soon the energetic notes of the partita left his fingers and filled the air as his foot tapped to the time signature. But instead of the woman being confused as to the song, she said, amusement tinging her voice,
"Partita No. 3, huh? You don't really strike me as someone who knows classical music."
He couldn't help it. He lost his groove, his guitar's strings twinging from the wrong strumming, as he frowned and glared at her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he said.
A giggle left her lips. "Sorry. You just seemed like someone who only likes recent music."
"Eh? What makes you think that?"
"You were playing movie OST and foreign pop songs, performing on the street and weaeing a hoodie."
Yosuke felt a vein pulse in his forehead. "Hey, you're wearing one too! So doesn't that mean you count too?!" he said.
And he quickly regretted it as the woman took a step back, most likely surprised at his outburst. But before he could apologize, or do anything really, the strange woman suddenly started...laughing.
"Huh...?"
His annoyance morphed into confusion as he stared at her, wondering if she hit her head on the way here or something.
It only took a few more seconds before she stopped. But she still sounded breathless as she said, "Yeah, you're right. I do count."
"Hmph." Yosuke crossed his arms. "Next time don't say stuff like that. Jeez..."
Another giggle that he couldn't help but find cute. "Sorry," she said. "But I did mean what I said. I didn't think you'd know classical music."
"Well, I'll admit I usually prefer to listen to popular music, especially anything by Risette." Here, he could've sworn he saw her tense but it was probably his imagination so he continued. "But I can't really call myself a musician if I don't at least know the classics, or play 'em, right?"
"A musician, huh?" The sunglasses wearing woman tilted her head. "Not artist then?"
"Uh, well..." Yosuke couldn't help but blush and scratch his cheek. "Uh, it's not like I'm good at composing stuff... And I can't sing either... So I can't call myself that."
"You compose?" she said, surprise turning to excitement as she went on. "Can I see?"
"Eh? What? No! There're no good anyway..."
Here the woman put her hands on her knees and leaned forward, her face mere inches from his own, as she said,
"Aw, come on! It can't be that bad! Did you show anyone else them?"
Of course, he leaned back, startled at the closeness but his mind managed to keep hold of his guitar and he said,
"No?"
Thankfully, she moved away from him as she stood straight and put her hands on her hips. "Then how do you it's bad?"
"Uh..."
Okay when she put it like that, it was a good point but...
Once again, her voice cut through his thoughts. "I promise I won't make fun of it," she saidm "In fact, I'll do you a favor. I'll try to help you make it better."
What? "Help me? Why...?"
"It's the least a fellow musician can do, right?" she said.
Yosuke blinked. "Wait, you're a musician?"
Her third giggle. Not that he was counting. "You didn't figure it out?"
His face flushed full force again. "I uh..." He coughed and mumbled,"...thoughtyouwereasnootyloverofmusic..."
Even with her eyes covered with sunglasses, he could definitely feel her flat stare. "I heard that."
"Ghk!"
That soon left as she said, "So...you'll show me?"
Yosuke paused and looked at the woman. She was a stranger that had appeared almost like a ninja. The thought of showing his songs to a such a stranger seemed laughable. Especially one as shady looking as her. And yet... Not only she had recognized a not quite well known Bach piece, she knew the name of it and that he had been playing foreign and movie music. One didn't know all that unless they loved music.
So, with a small smile, he said, "All right then."
So he showed her the latest notebook he got filled with his songs. Not too many of them though since it was late, but still enough that he played a couple of them for her before they went their seperate ways, smiling all the way home. It was an interesting night. It certainly helped she was rather complimentary. But when he thought he would never see her again...
"Thank goodness. I thought I'd have to look someone else."
...she came back to his little spot on the Shibuya streets about a week and a half later, in exactly the same attire.
"Eh? What are you doing here?"
The fourth giggle he heard from her so far. "To listen to you play, of course," she said, happiness in her tone. "Both your covers and originals."
Unsurprisingly, he blushed. "H-Hey... I'm not that special. There are better guitarists and composers than me..."
"Hey! Don't downplay yourself! I meant all those things I said last time!"
"But..."
"Ah ah! No buts!" she said, wagging her finger. "I want to hear your music. So...can you play?"
He stared. He couldn't help it. Very few buckers had "returning customers". That's what happened when you played on the streets. And yet not only did he get one, it was a girl and someone who loved music. So, after giving his bucket for her to sit while he sat on the floor, he said,
"Any requests?"
He still couldn't see because of her mask, but he was still sure she was smiling mischievously as she said,
"Surprise me."
"Oh come on... At least say someone so I can pick a song from them!"
"All the better the surprise."
This was basically the routine everytime she visited, she would appear, he would ask for requests, and she wouldn't make any specific ones, then followed by him playing whatever came to mind as well as his original songs. And on occasion, if they had extra time, they would talk about stuff, mainly music but sometimes other things too. Those were honestly his favorite moments, when he got to know her just a little more...like that she really liked spicy foods, that she had quite the mischievous streak with some small pranks done to him...and that she always looked much more relaxed everytime she left.
Yes, she didn't visit everyday, and sometimes not even every week, but she always came to see him at least once a month. It got to the point that he bought a small foldable chair just for her, because a bucket wouldn't cut it for her. What kind of a man would he be to just let a woman sit on a bucket?
It was on one of those days that he said,
"Come on...just make a request one time at least..."
"Where's the fun in that?" she said in that lilting teasing tone of hers.
Fine. He would play one of his favorite songs, even if she found it annoying because of how overplayed it was on the radio.
With his fingers in place and foot ready to tap, he began the opening riff and soon started the melody.
You got yourself...behind a door...deep inside your heart, again...
She gasped beside him but that thought fell to the wayside as all that mattered was the song, his guitar and him once again. The world disappeared around him as he kept on playing one of his favorite songs by one of his favorite artist, Risette. True, some thought she was just one of the many J-pop stars that was overrated in their popularity, but he certainly thought she deserved it. Yes, the fact that she looked hot was a factor but it was her songs that mattered to him. Like this one...
Get ready for your True Story.
One last riff and he was done and back in reality. Yosuke looked to her to find she was still. He frowned. She usually clapped or made some kind of comment and yet, there she was, not moving. If it weren't for the fact he could see her chest rise and fall, he would've thought she literally froze somehow.
"You okay?" he said with worry.
Which increased as she didn't answer right away. But before he could say more, she said,
"Hey..."
"Hmm? Yeah?"
"Why haven't you asked...?"
"Eh? Ask what?"
"My name."
"Huh? Your name?"
"Mmhmm."
"Hmm..."
Yosuke laid his guitar on its back against his head before looking away from, watching the various people and cars pass by them, settling and sorting through his thoughts.
"Well, for starters, I haven't really introduced myself either, so we'te even on that."
He paused as a particularly loud truck passed.
"But really...even if I did, I wouldn't have asked...because I figured you have your reasons. Why else would you always come here wearing that?"
Here, he turned to her, locking with her eyes even with the sunglasses there.
"So I won't ask if you don't wanna tell," he said. He smiled. "You have a right to your privacy after all."
She was silent at that. He waited a little bit to see if she would have anything to say once she composed herself. And she did...but it was the last thing he thought he would ever hear in his entire lifetime.
"Rise Kujikawa."
"Eh? You mean the real name of Risette? What about her?"
"That's my name," she said and then she lifted her glasses and pulled down her mask. "I'm Rise Kujikawa."
To say the least, again, he never thought he would hear that.
Or faint from that.
Thankfully for both of them, the newly introduced Rise shook him awake...
...to her immense amusement.
"I know I'm famous, but I didn't think you'd faint," she said, her disguise back up.
Yosuke crossed his arms and glared at her. "Hey it's not every day my mysterious friend turns out to be my favorite artist," he said, keeping his volune as low as he could.
Yet another giggle. Not that he knew how many she's done since he met her. After all, he lost track after the fourty-fourth time.
"No, I guess not," she said. "But it was fun seeing you react like that."
He just rolled his eyes. Typical. That mischievous trickster...
"So? Want me to keep playing?"
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Here I thought you'd for an autograph."
Yosuke coughed in reflex. "Ah, well... I'll admit I'd like that but..." He turned to her, gave a warm smile and said, "It'd suck if I suddenly treated you differently over that, right? So? Shall we?"
To his surprise, he was answered with her tackling him into a hug, which thankfully didn't topple him over or his guitar.
"Thank you..."
Shutting up the part of his brain that was panicking and making his heart race, he returned her hug, wrapping her up in his arms.
"You're welcome."
. . .
Okay not as shippy as it could be...but I liked ending it there. Anyways!
Happy birthday, Yosuke Hanamura! Our Magician bro of P4. Have a (soon-to-be?) girlfriend!
Music featured:
Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra (lyric used for title of fic)
Titanic OST (nothing specific)
Lord of the Rings OST (also nothing specific)
Spirited Away OST (third nothing specific)
O-o-oh Child by Five Stairsteps
Some Night by Fun
Partita for Violin No. 3 by J.S. Bach
True Story from Persona 4 the Animation/Persona 4: Golden, sung by Rie Kugimiya
A tale of two lovers meeting on a doomed ship... The journey of a tiny man to rid of a cursed ring... And the quest of a girl to save her parents from the spirit world...
To absolutely no one's surprise, Yosuke only got money thrown into his guitar case for playing the soundtrack of the last movie. He had hoped that the quality of the music would convince them by themselves but apparently he should've known better. But still... He sighed as he counted what he got for the past hour before he pocketed them. ...he didn't really have much of a singing voice. He didn't really want to play any songs that had vocals without doing his own, especially his favorite songd by Risette, but that probably wouldn't matter at this rate.
Oh well, if he was going to do an instrumental version of songs with vocals, he might as well do it with some foreign songs.
So he started with the first that came to mind.
O-o-oh child, things are gonna get easier...
He closed his eyes, feeling the wood and metal under his fingertips. His hands slid across the neck of his guitar easily as he played the notes and chords to the song's melody and background. His foot tapped a steady beat, matching the song's. And the rest of his body moved bobbed along with it. But it wasn't long before he was close to the end of the song and so, on a whim, he decided to mash it with another.
Some day, yeah...some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck...
Soon, he didn't hear the steps of the people ignoring him, the roar of the vehicles passing by nor the cacophony of the ads on the video billboards of the buildings around him. It was just Yosuke, his bucket chair, and his guitar. Nothing more, nothing less. At least until the medley of random songs ended and he was back on a street of late night Shibuya.
"Gah!"
And to the company of a stranger in a hoodie, sunglasses and a mask.
"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she said, her voice quiet but her pitch high.
Yosuke blinked. Now that he got a better look at her, she was also wearing a short jeans and pink rubber shoes. But her jacke was still baggy enough that he wouldn't have known she was a girl. Still, a girl scaring him? Since when did he become such a scaredy cat?
Yosuke chuckled, embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his head. "Eh, no problem," he said.
It was then his brain caught on to the fact that he had a person who clearly was interested in his playing so he then said,
"Any requests?"
If Yosuke had to guess, the woman blinked at his words as she said, "Huh? Oh uh..." She hummed, brooding, before she shook her head. "No, not really. Just keep on playing."
Okay, maybe he should've expected that but still. He thought she would've have wanted something to play. Like a pop song or something.
Yosuke squinted at her. Well, if she wasn't going to request anything, then he'd just play something that she probably wouldn't want...and the first thing that came to mind was the Prelude of Partita No. 3 by Bach. Soon the energetic notes of the partita left his fingers and filled the air as his foot tapped to the time signature. But instead of the woman being confused as to the song, she said, amusement tinging her voice,
"Partita No. 3, huh? You don't really strike me as someone who knows classical music."
He couldn't help it. He lost his groove, his guitar's strings twinging from the wrong strumming, as he frowned and glared at her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he said.
A giggle left her lips. "Sorry. You just seemed like someone who only likes recent music."
"Eh? What makes you think that?"
"You were playing movie OST and foreign pop songs, performing on the street and weaeing a hoodie."
Yosuke felt a vein pulse in his forehead. "Hey, you're wearing one too! So doesn't that mean you count too?!" he said.
And he quickly regretted it as the woman took a step back, most likely surprised at his outburst. But before he could apologize, or do anything really, the strange woman suddenly started...laughing.
"Huh...?"
His annoyance morphed into confusion as he stared at her, wondering if she hit her head on the way here or something.
It only took a few more seconds before she stopped. But she still sounded breathless as she said, "Yeah, you're right. I do count."
"Hmph." Yosuke crossed his arms. "Next time don't say stuff like that. Jeez..."
Another giggle that he couldn't help but find cute. "Sorry," she said. "But I did mean what I said. I didn't think you'd know classical music."
"Well, I'll admit I usually prefer to listen to popular music, especially anything by Risette." Here, he could've sworn he saw her tense but it was probably his imagination so he continued. "But I can't really call myself a musician if I don't at least know the classics, or play 'em, right?"
"A musician, huh?" The sunglasses wearing woman tilted her head. "Not artist then?"
"Uh, well..." Yosuke couldn't help but blush and scratch his cheek. "Uh, it's not like I'm good at composing stuff... And I can't sing either... So I can't call myself that."
"You compose?" she said, surprise turning to excitement as she went on. "Can I see?"
"Eh? What? No! There're no good anyway..."
Here the woman put her hands on her knees and leaned forward, her face mere inches from his own, as she said,
"Aw, come on! It can't be that bad! Did you show anyone else them?"
Of course, he leaned back, startled at the closeness but his mind managed to keep hold of his guitar and he said,
"No?"
Thankfully, she moved away from him as she stood straight and put her hands on her hips. "Then how do you it's bad?"
"Uh..."
Okay when she put it like that, it was a good point but...
Once again, her voice cut through his thoughts. "I promise I won't make fun of it," she saidm "In fact, I'll do you a favor. I'll try to help you make it better."
What? "Help me? Why...?"
"It's the least a fellow musician can do, right?" she said.
Yosuke blinked. "Wait, you're a musician?"
Her third giggle. Not that he was counting. "You didn't figure it out?"
His face flushed full force again. "I uh..." He coughed and mumbled,"...thoughtyouwereasnootyloverofmusic..."
Even with her eyes covered with sunglasses, he could definitely feel her flat stare. "I heard that."
"Ghk!"
That soon left as she said, "So...you'll show me?"
Yosuke paused and looked at the woman. She was a stranger that had appeared almost like a ninja. The thought of showing his songs to a such a stranger seemed laughable. Especially one as shady looking as her. And yet... Not only she had recognized a not quite well known Bach piece, she knew the name of it and that he had been playing foreign and movie music. One didn't know all that unless they loved music.
So, with a small smile, he said, "All right then."
So he showed her the latest notebook he got filled with his songs. Not too many of them though since it was late, but still enough that he played a couple of them for her before they went their seperate ways, smiling all the way home. It was an interesting night. It certainly helped she was rather complimentary. But when he thought he would never see her again...
"Thank goodness. I thought I'd have to look someone else."
...she came back to his little spot on the Shibuya streets about a week and a half later, in exactly the same attire.
"Eh? What are you doing here?"
The fourth giggle he heard from her so far. "To listen to you play, of course," she said, happiness in her tone. "Both your covers and originals."
Unsurprisingly, he blushed. "H-Hey... I'm not that special. There are better guitarists and composers than me..."
"Hey! Don't downplay yourself! I meant all those things I said last time!"
"But..."
"Ah ah! No buts!" she said, wagging her finger. "I want to hear your music. So...can you play?"
He stared. He couldn't help it. Very few buckers had "returning customers". That's what happened when you played on the streets. And yet not only did he get one, it was a girl and someone who loved music. So, after giving his bucket for her to sit while he sat on the floor, he said,
"Any requests?"
He still couldn't see because of her mask, but he was still sure she was smiling mischievously as she said,
"Surprise me."
"Oh come on... At least say someone so I can pick a song from them!"
"All the better the surprise."
This was basically the routine everytime she visited, she would appear, he would ask for requests, and she wouldn't make any specific ones, then followed by him playing whatever came to mind as well as his original songs. And on occasion, if they had extra time, they would talk about stuff, mainly music but sometimes other things too. Those were honestly his favorite moments, when he got to know her just a little more...like that she really liked spicy foods, that she had quite the mischievous streak with some small pranks done to him...and that she always looked much more relaxed everytime she left.
Yes, she didn't visit everyday, and sometimes not even every week, but she always came to see him at least once a month. It got to the point that he bought a small foldable chair just for her, because a bucket wouldn't cut it for her. What kind of a man would he be to just let a woman sit on a bucket?
It was on one of those days that he said,
"Come on...just make a request one time at least..."
"Where's the fun in that?" she said in that lilting teasing tone of hers.
Fine. He would play one of his favorite songs, even if she found it annoying because of how overplayed it was on the radio.
With his fingers in place and foot ready to tap, he began the opening riff and soon started the melody.
You got yourself...behind a door...deep inside your heart, again...
She gasped beside him but that thought fell to the wayside as all that mattered was the song, his guitar and him once again. The world disappeared around him as he kept on playing one of his favorite songs by one of his favorite artist, Risette. True, some thought she was just one of the many J-pop stars that was overrated in their popularity, but he certainly thought she deserved it. Yes, the fact that she looked hot was a factor but it was her songs that mattered to him. Like this one...
Get ready for your True Story.
One last riff and he was done and back in reality. Yosuke looked to her to find she was still. He frowned. She usually clapped or made some kind of comment and yet, there she was, not moving. If it weren't for the fact he could see her chest rise and fall, he would've thought she literally froze somehow.
"You okay?" he said with worry.
Which increased as she didn't answer right away. But before he could say more, she said,
"Hey..."
"Hmm? Yeah?"
"Why haven't you asked...?"
"Eh? Ask what?"
"My name."
"Huh? Your name?"
"Mmhmm."
"Hmm..."
Yosuke laid his guitar on its back against his head before looking away from, watching the various people and cars pass by them, settling and sorting through his thoughts.
"Well, for starters, I haven't really introduced myself either, so we'te even on that."
He paused as a particularly loud truck passed.
"But really...even if I did, I wouldn't have asked...because I figured you have your reasons. Why else would you always come here wearing that?"
Here, he turned to her, locking with her eyes even with the sunglasses there.
"So I won't ask if you don't wanna tell," he said. He smiled. "You have a right to your privacy after all."
She was silent at that. He waited a little bit to see if she would have anything to say once she composed herself. And she did...but it was the last thing he thought he would ever hear in his entire lifetime.
"Rise Kujikawa."
"Eh? You mean the real name of Risette? What about her?"
"That's my name," she said and then she lifted her glasses and pulled down her mask. "I'm Rise Kujikawa."
To say the least, again, he never thought he would hear that.
Or faint from that.
Thankfully for both of them, the newly introduced Rise shook him awake...
...to her immense amusement.
"I know I'm famous, but I didn't think you'd faint," she said, her disguise back up.
Yosuke crossed his arms and glared at her. "Hey it's not every day my mysterious friend turns out to be my favorite artist," he said, keeping his volune as low as he could.
Yet another giggle. Not that he knew how many she's done since he met her. After all, he lost track after the fourty-fourth time.
"No, I guess not," she said. "But it was fun seeing you react like that."
He just rolled his eyes. Typical. That mischievous trickster...
"So? Want me to keep playing?"
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Here I thought you'd for an autograph."
Yosuke coughed in reflex. "Ah, well... I'll admit I'd like that but..." He turned to her, gave a warm smile and said, "It'd suck if I suddenly treated you differently over that, right? So? Shall we?"
To his surprise, he was answered with her tackling him into a hug, which thankfully didn't topple him over or his guitar.
"Thank you..."
Shutting up the part of his brain that was panicking and making his heart race, he returned her hug, wrapping her up in his arms.
"You're welcome."
. . .
Okay not as shippy as it could be...but I liked ending it there. Anyways!
Happy birthday, Yosuke Hanamura! Our Magician bro of P4. Have a (soon-to-be?) girlfriend!
Music featured:
Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra (lyric used for title of fic)
Titanic OST (nothing specific)
Lord of the Rings OST (also nothing specific)
Spirited Away OST (third nothing specific)
O-o-oh Child by Five Stairsteps
Some Night by Fun
Partita for Violin No. 3 by J.S. Bach
True Story from Persona 4 the Animation/Persona 4: Golden, sung by Rie Kugimiya