Kai'Sa linked the karaoke machine to the TV and turned it on. The TV screen was now filled with a menu screen with a search bar that made me think of a party room filled with the lights from the disco ball and loud music.
Now, I could see it more clearly. The buttons that were attached to it weren't actually buttons. They were button icons on a digital screen. Some digital buttons had English and Korean letters on them while others had other things like an on/off button, cancel button, enter button, and etc. Plus, there were two mics attached on both sides of the machine.
The machine itself looked like a console, slick, and smooth-looking. It didn't have speakers for some reason. Plus, it was a little bit bigger than an Xbox console.
"It's newly-released portable karaoke machine," Kai'Sa explained, "it needs to be linked to the TV to use it."
"Isn't this made by Jayce Technologies?" I asked while remembering an advertisement on the TV that I watched a week ago.
"Yep," Kai'Sa said. Then she pulled one of the mics off the side of the machine and handed it to me, taking me off-guard. "Why don't you sing first?"
"Yeah," Ahri purred while pulling my right ear with her hand, "I really want to hear your voice."
"I . . . umm . . ." I stuttered and looked nervously around while holding the mic with both of my hands, trying hard to make an excuse to get out of this situation when all four K-pop artists were staring at me expectedly. Plus, it was hard to make ideas when one of them was head-locking me. "I-I'm not—"
"We won't laugh at you if you're bad at singing," Evelynn told me.
I looked at Evelynn and met her cool gaze. She had tipped her head to stare at me from over her purple sunglasses. Suddenly, I realized something. When Evelynn dragged me to her sports car, I was scared out of my mind. But when we were playing that game and Evelynn was preparing to execute the penalty on me, I was slightly scared of her. My usual self would've run away while screaming like crazy when she was about to slap my back, but I didn't.
Why?
Did my mind get comfortable with her after the 'talk' that took place in her sports car? I asked myself.
Ahri, who was still head-locking me, started to chant.
"Sing! Sing! Sing!"
And before I knew it, the other three started to chant after her.
How did I find myself in this situation . . . ? I asked myself while I wildly looked around, which was hard because of Ahri's head-lock. I just wanted to sleep!
"F-Fine!" I finally surrendered. "I'll sing."
They cheered.
"So, what's the title of the song that you want to sing?" Kai'Sa asked while preparing to use the buttons on the screen.
I gulped. "New Divide."
"Linkin Park, eh?" Akali raised an eyebrow at me.
"Lived as a man, died as a legend." Evelynn commented.
"Sang like an angel, screamed like a demon," I answered.
"What does that mean?" Kai'Sa asked curiously while typing the title on the machine.
"Tribute to the lead singer," I said. "B-By the way, should I stand up and sing or—?"
Ahri uncurled her arm from my neck and smiled cheekily at me while pushing me upwards from the sofa for me to stand.
"Stand up it is."
I was really nervous. Never in my life did I sing in front of other people. Especially in front of celebrities.
"The music starts . . . Now!" Kai'Sa announced and the TV screen was now filled with colorful pixelated music bars that moved up and down with the flow of the music and a dark background.
The familiar beat started to play from the speakers placed on both sides of the TV and the colorful music bars started to move. At first only a few moved slowly. But, when the drum joined, all started to move up and down.
I looked around nervously for the last time and breathed heavily while closing my eyes shut. I pulled out the bad memories of my past and started to picture them in my mind when the guitar joined.
Hearing laughters from behind my back at the class in high school, commenting about my bony features, me being stuck in a math academy, forced to shove useless math equations into my brain that were only useful at taking tests, and being pushed from behind in the middle of the school hallway, dropping the things that I was holding onto the ground while I fell on top of them.
The sensation of hopelessness and grief filled me as I opened my eyes.
The TV screen indicated that there were only 3 seconds left before the lyrics came up.
Then, I opened my mouth and began singing when the lyrics appeared.
I remember black skies
The lightning all around me
I waited for the next lyrics to appear.
I remember each flash
As time began to blur
I waited for a moment.
Like a startling sign
That fate had finally found me
My mind started to go with the flow of the music.
And your voice was all I heard
That I get what I deserve
Then, I felt all the hopelessness and grief starting to explode out of my throat and becoming one with my voice when I screamed out the next lyrics.
So give me reason
To prove me wrong
To wash this memory clean
Let the floods cross
The distance in your eyes
I did it again.
Give me reason
To fill this hole
Connect this space between
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies
Across this new divide
I kept on singing while pouring the emotions of my sufferings through the lyrics. I felt pain while singing, but also happiness.
I believed that singing was a way of telling a story, sending a message to the audience, the people who were listening. Before now, no one was there to listen to my story when I sang inside an empty karaoke room, no one to receive the message of my feelings.
But now, there were listeners who wanted to listen.
Listeners who wanted to hear my story.
At first, I was scared that I would screw up this special moment that might be the only chance for me to sing in front of actual people and tried to avoid it. But, when I started singing, I realized that I wasn't scared anymore.
I felt as if all the frustrations that had built inside my soul were being exploded out through my voice.
I almost cried because this feeling was so . . . refreshing.
When the song finished, everybody was silent.
When I started to feel as if I'd screwed up somehow, Ahri broke into wild applause.
"Bravo!" Ahri cheered.
Then, everybody started clapping while cheering as if I was the celebrity.
"Talented!" Akali said.
"Not bad," Evelynn complimented.
"Beautiful voice!" Kai'Sa exclaimed while clasping her hands.
I looked around and finally smiled wobbly.
I was a shy person, ok?
"Thank you," I whispered while pressing my hands on my chest. Then, I sat down on the sofa.
Ahri patted my head. "Well done, darling!" she said while caressing my long hair with the other hand. "I never knew that you could sing that well."
I blushed while scratching my head. "I practiced in karaoke rooms . . ."
That was true, but I was hiding an important detail, which made me feel guilty.
To use a karaoke room, people had to pay money. But I didn't receive any allowance, so I'd to do a thing that I wasn't proud of . . .
Stealing from my mom's wallet . . .
Once a month.
I'd no choice. I really, really wanted to sing, so I'd to steal from my mom for money . . .
I'm such a selfish person . . . I thought gloomily.
"I'll sing next," Evelynn said while plucking the mic from my hand with her clawed one. Then, she looked at Kai'Sa. "Type 'Mortal Reminder', please."
Kai'Sa typed in the title and the song began to play.
If Karthus sang like a wraith, Evelynn sang like a demon goddess. Her voice was cold and powerful while her posture was confident as if she was a loyalty.
As the masses came
Like a shadow through this land
They laid siege to all we ever had, yeah!
I'd to say, her version of Mortal Reminder was actually good!
When she finished singing, she bowed majestically while we all applauded.
"Awesome as always," Akali complimented.
Akali was next.
She chose to sing a Korean rap song. Sadly, I never heard the song that she sang before, so I couldn't say many things about it. But, I'd like to say that she was really, really good at rapping. It seemed to me that Akali knew when to rap fast and when to slow down, like a cook making a dish with the frying pan on a fire.
Every time she unleashed a series of lines while nodding to beat, Ahri whooped excitedly while shaking her fist in the air, cheering Akali on.
When she finished, she stepped in front of Kai'Sa, who was sitting beside the karaoke machine and dropped the mic onto her lap.
"Mic drop, bam!" she said and went back to her place. "You're next, Bokkie."
Kai'Sa chose a song called 'DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love', which was actually a good song. Plus, she stood on the coffee table and sang as if she was enjoying herself and danced energetically to the beat! Seriously, you should've seen her smiling while singing and dancing on the coffee table because it was really dazzling that I thought my eyes were burning out!
'Cause baby, tonight
The DJ got us falling in love again (Love again)
Yeah, baby, tonight
The DJ got us falling in love again (Love again)
So dance, dance like it's the last, last night
Of your life, life, Gon' get you right
When she finished, she bowed politely and stepped down from the coffee table while we cheered.
"I'm next," Ahri announced while drunkenly standing up from the sofa.
Kai'Sa handed her the mic while looking at her with a concerned look on her face.
"Are you sure you can sing right now?" she asked.
"Of course, I'm sure!" Ahri enthusiastically and hiccupped while holding the mic with both of her hands, her head swaying slightly.
Then, she turned her head toward Akali.
"Hey, Akali," she said, "I need your rap skill while I sing."
"Ok," Akali answered while pulling out another mic on another side of the karaoke machine.
"So, what song?" Kai'Sa asked.
Ahri smiled wobbly. "Rockabye."
"Oh, that song!" Akali said while standing up. "That's why you need me."
When Kai'Sa typed the title, the song began, and Akali started to rap.
Call it love and devotion
Call it a mom's adoration, foundation
A special bond of creation, hah
For all the single moms out there
Going through frustration
Clean Bandit, Sean-da-Paul, Anne-Marie
Sing, make them hear
That was when Ahri began to sing, the song becoming a duo.
She works at nights by the water
She's gone astray so far away
From her father's daughter
She just wants a life for her baby
All on her own, no one will come
She's got to save him
(Akali): Daily struggle
Then, Ahri glanced sideways at me, a smile on her face.
She tells him, "Ooh, love, no one's ever gonna hurt you, love.
I'm gonna give you all of my love.
Nobody matters like you."
(Akali): Stay up there, stay up there
She tells him, "Your life ain't gon' be nothing like my life." (Straight!)
"You're gonna grow and have a good life.
I'm gonna do what I've got to do."
(Akali): Stay up there, stay up there
Ahri stood up from the sofa, stepped toward the coffee table, and sat down on it, directly in front of me while staring directly into my eyes, her head swaying gently. She crossed her legs and began to sing.
So, rockabye baby, rockabye
I'm gonna rock you
Rockabye baby, don't you cry
Somebody's got you
Rockabye baby, rockabye
I'm gonna rock you
Rockabye baby, don't you cry
Rockabye, no
She took my attention like a thief taking the wallet out of someone's pocket. I was literally paralyzed by her voice, her beautiful face, and the heartwarming lyrics, our eyes locked the entire time.
When the song was over, I was the first one to applause eagerly.
"That was so beautiful!" I said while smiling broadly, my eyes gleaming in awe.
Ahri smiled drunkenly at me, gratitude on her face.
"Thank you, sweetheart."
We kept on singing but soon, everybody became exhausted.
Akali was so tired that she drifted into sleep while lying on the ground, still holding her canned beer in her left hand, while Evelynn was singing. Kai'Sa rested her head on the coffee table and started to snore softly almost 30 minutes after Akali drifted into sleep. Finally, Evelynn lay down on the ground next to the sofa.
"You use the sofa, Ahri," Evelynn said sleepily, "I'll just sleep on the ground . . ."
Then, she yawned and she went to the dream world.
Now, only Ahri and I were left awake, still sitting on the sofa.
She yawned softly while stretching her arms upwards. "Boy, I'm tired."
I stifled a yawn. "Me too."
Ahri looked sideways at me her eyes opening and closing sleepily. "Jeffric, can you bring my blanket from my room? I . . . I will sleep here."
"You got it," I said and stood up from the sofa.
Stupid alcohol, I thought while walking wobbly toward Ahri's room door after I turned off the karaoke machine and the TV.
People, drink as little alcohol as possible because it would make your vision go blurry and everything kind of dizzy.
It was my first time entering Ahri's bedroom, so I was kind of nervous.
When I opened the door, a room larger them mine greeted me.
The room had closets that were built into the right and left walls while a four-poster bed was placed at the end of the room. The wall behind the bed was made with black tiles, two golden lamps hanging on it. There was a nightstand next to the bed, a white vase containing a bouquet inside it.
I imagined that all the clothes that the fashion designers made for Ahri were in the closets.
I heaved up the golden blanket after folding it several times. Then, I walked out of her room, closed the door, turned off the living room lights by pressing the button with the folded-up blanket, making the living room go dark, and went back to the sofa.
I could make out Ahri standing next to it while I spread the blanket on the sofa for her in the dark. When I was finished, Ahri lay down on the blanket-covered sofa while sighing blissfully, closing her sleepy eyes.
"I'll sleep in my room," I said and yawned.
I'm so tired . . . I thought and turned around to go to my room.
But suddenly, I felt something grab the back of my T-shirt from behind.
I flinched. Who was grabbing me?
"Hold on, darling," Ahri drawled, "where do you think you're going?"
I felt a pair of arms hugging my waist and I was dragged onto the sofa. Before I knew what was happening, I was lying on top of Ahri, face to face while both of my arms were raised as if I was surrendering.
"A-Ahri . . . ?" I asked, shock visible in my voice. "W-What are you—?"
Ahri rolled on the sofa, still hugging my waist with her left arm while grabbing the edge of the blanket that was touching the ground with the right hand. Before I knew it, Ahri was on top of me while the blanket was wounded tightly around our body except for the neck and head. Her body was pressed against mine, her red face and my slightly red face only a centimeter apart, the city lights reflected on her golden eyes, making them glow in the dark.
W-What's going on?!
I felt my face starting to burn while my heart starting to beat faster and faster.
I tried to say something in disbelief, but Ahri's left hand clamped onto my mouth, making the things that I tried to say sounded muffled while pressing her right arm on both of my arms that were still in the 'I surrender' position onto the sofa's edge.
I was trapped!
"Shh," she said as if to quiet me down while winking at me.
I suddenly became aware that her legs were tangled with mine and her breasts were pressed onto my chest.
Oh no . . . no . . . Oh no!
I started to struggle while trying to scream through her hand, but she was stronger than me, so I was unable to get out.
"Now, now, darling," Ahri whispered playfully, "you don't want to wake up everyone else, do you?"
At last, I gave up and stared helplessly up at her, her beautiful golden eyes filled with mischief.
She was breathing heavily and she licked her lips like a person that was about to eat something delicious, a single sweat trickling down her forehead.
Help! I thought.
"You look so cute when you look helpless, darling . . ." Ahri drawled. Then she bared her fangs playfully. "I wanna eat you!"
I let out a muffled shrieked and started to struggle again, my eyes tearing up in fear.
Ahri broke into a silent laugh. "I was just joking, darling. Don't be scared."
Then, she kissed me on the nose.
I made a confused sound through her hand, but she started to barrage my face with kisses. My cheeks, my forehead, and even my eyelids!
I squirmed underneath her, half enjoying and half resisting her actions.
At last, she kissed the side of my neck and she finally unclasped her hand from my mouth.
"A-Ahri . . . ?" I spoke in a wobbly and confused voice. "W-Why are you doing this?"
"I just wanted to show . . . gratitude to you, dear," Ahri whispered at my ear, "for staying here . . . with me."
I nervously glanced sideways at her. "What do you m-mean?"
"Whenever I wake up from the . . . dream and get out of my room, nobody was there," Ahri sniffled sadly. But then her voice changed to a more positive tone. "But then, you came into my life, always there in the morning."
She started to rub her cheek against mine, which made me moan slightly with pleasure. "You're an angel, Jeffric. A true angel . . ."
"Thank y-you," I squeaked while slightly smiling nervously.
"Sleep tight, my darling," she said sleepily while crawling backward on the sofa, letting go of my arms in the process, and nestled her head on my chest, her hands now hugging me as if I was a teddy bear.
"You too, Ahri," I whispered back. I glanced downwards and saw that Ahri was smiling while her eyes were closed.
Before I knew it, I heard her breathing softly. Ahri was now sleeping.
Then I suddenly realized how . . . heartwarming the feeling of being hugged passionately by someone was. My body felt really warm, like as if I was in front of a cozy campfire, its warmth engulfing my body.
I smiled down at her and placed my right hand on her head, gently patting it and her pair of fox ears with care.
"Have a great dream . . . my lovely fox," I whispered while hugging her back. Then, I closed my eyes, drifting into sleep.