A Song of Spring

Part 03 - Audition

Community service, they called it. More like charity for losers, Tamiko thought. It was punishment for getting caught cutting class twice. One more offense and she'd have to drag her parents down to the school headmistress's office to discuss her truancy.

Basically she was on theater club duty. The club was made up of what had to be the biggest losers in the school, which is why they had problems getting students to sign up. It would've died a natural death if the headmistress wasn't such a drama-obsessed freak who fancied herself a patron of the arts. Which is why students who got into trouble got assigned to assist the theater club instead of cleaning duty or detention, if they had any useful theater-related skills.

Unfortunately for Tamiko, the headmistress knew she played the piano. 

It wasn't something Tamiko bragged about. She wasn't a huge fan of the instrument, it was just something her parents made her take up when she was five. The guitar -- which she had discovered when she was 10 -- was her preferred musical weapon of choice. However, the headmistress found out about her having played the piano somehow and now Tamiko had to spend third period playing for the misguided souls auditioning for the theater club. 

Eiji Kato saw her as soon as she entered the auditorium. "Oshi-san, thank you so much for coming," he said. He actually bowed to emphasize his gratitude. 

"Yeah, well, I didn't really have a choice in the matter, did I." She looked around but didn't see any other students. "Where are the people auditioning?"

"Technically, we're not holding auditions yet. As you know, auditions for the theater club is at the beginning of the school year, during spring. It is a tradition--"

"Oh my god, nobody cares, Kato. Just tell me what the hell I'm supposed to be doing for you losers today."

Eiji turned red, but tried to face her irritation with a smile. "Right. We have only one girl auditioning today. A special dispensation as a favor to a friend. You know Toru Yamashita, yes?"

"No," said Tamiko, although she did know him. She just generally preferred to pretend not to know anybody so she had an excuse to not speak to people. Socializing was tedious and boring. "That's a strange name for a girl."

"Oh no! Although we would, of course be honored to have Yam ashi-san join our humble club--" He stopped short and turned red at Tamiko's glare. "Apologies. Her name is --"

"Who cares, let's just do this." Tamiko started walking toward the stage. 

"Oh, Oshi-san, this is the sheet music," Eiji said, following her and trying to hand her a booklet. "It's called 'Wonderful Guy' from Souz ... Souz... "

"South Pacific, yes I know it, " Oshiro said, still walking, then she paused in her stride when she realized what she just admitted to. She mentally kicked herself but climbed the steps to the stage as nonchalantly as she could. 

She sat on the piano seat, and cleared her throat. Eiji hurriedly ran up the steps of the stage and placed the music booklet on the sheet stand, opened at the right song.

“This is Abe Sayuri-san. She’ll be auditioning for us today,” he said, gesturing towards the girl who was going up the stage from the left. The girl bowed nervously in greeting, and Eiji bowed back. 

Tamiko ignored her.  “Ready?” she asked, getting ready to play.

“Yes.” Sayuri’s voice was a little shaky. 

Oshiro’s fingers lightly pressed on the first staccato notes of the song’s intro, before Sayuri began to sing.

                “I expect everyone of my crowd to make fun