Malice Melodies

Chapter 1- Just Another Star Struck Fan

Sesshoumaru

"Tooru Naraku and Hamasaki Rin, cofounders of Youkai Companion, have announced that they have left their label, Saimyoshou, due to fraud and an unacceptable renewal contract. According to Tooru-san, the label cheated their fans by taking their money but never sending posters or kits that were authorized for fan club members only."

"I always knew that label were a bunch of crooks."

"Isn't that the band that Sango likes?"

"Ask Miroku, he knows her better than any of us."

"He knows her ass better than us and her fist."

"My advances of friendship are merely misunderstood."

"Grabbing a girl's ass are not signs that you want a friendship, bouzu."

"I take offense to that Inuyasha. My ancestors were respectful monks and I was studying to become one of them before I let you drag me into this band."

Inuyasha snorted before he punched our bass player, Kawasumi Miroku, in the head and snarled, "I never dragged you into this band! You were playing bass and sneaking out of your studies before I even told you about forming a band!"

A small fight broke out among them, and as usual, I turned my attention elsewhere, like the press concert on TV. Tooru Naraku, a no talented hanyou, spoke for the band. "First of all we would like to apologize to our fans for Saimyoshou's wrong doing. We will be playing a few small clubs but our main focus is finding a new label. We have a few offers and we are thinking over our options, but we are close to making a decision."

Excited shouts from the reporters ensued but their vocalist Rin looked bored. Not that I blame her, the press overexcite themselves over minor details, like who you are sleeping with that week. She sat in the middle with her band mates, a pair of sunglasses on her face. I am not a fan of hers but I knew she never talked in interviews, except in magazines. If she actually had something to say then she would make Naraku or anyone of the others bend down to whisper in their ear. If she did not feel like doing that, she would simply nod and look away.

Even I, Kiimura Sesshoumaru admired the human a little for that. Too many women, especially human women talked too much about pointless things, like my stepmother. I focused my eyes on her and blocked out my idiot half brother and other band mates. If they were not so good at what they did, I would have slashed their throats out long ago.

"Hamasaki-san! Will the split from your label finally allow you to date the men you have been linked to these past couple of years"
The question was understandable. As soon as their band gained popularity rumors floated around that she was involved in a love triangle with both of her guitar players Naraku and Hara Hiten for years. The label had a problem with this because it was also thought to have been going on since she had first joined the band at the age of 14. Japan wasn't the only place where men openly lusted over school girls like her, but Saimyoshou was tied with an American label, and the Americans did not approve of a 14 year old girl dating men seven and nine years older than her.

I am sure the skimpy fetish Goth outfits she dresses in did not help matters. Her antics on stage were also frowned upon. It was not rare to see her dancing erotically or spitting up blood. She seemed to delight in shocking people with her sexuality and disgusting antics. It upset her label terribly and instead of toning it down each time they complained, she grew more shocking and fueled the rumors by always stimulating a crude sexual acts when playing.

The question hung in the air and all the greedy reporters waited with notepads in their hands and their tape recorders next to them. The human pushed a lock of long thick hair out of her face and waved her hand, meaning that another question was to be asked.

"Hey Sesshoumaru! Mom and Dad wanted us at dinner tonight, said they had something important to talk to us about."

I stood up and grabbed the notebook Musou had been looking at. My drummer gave me an annoyed look but wisely said nothing. Instead, he looked at the TV, where Youkai Companion were now standing and allowing the reporters to take photographs of them. Musou glared at Naraku and mumbled some choice words.

I raised an eyebrow but I said nothing. I turned my attention from the Goth rock band and looked over at the notes the others had made in it. Without saying a word, I walked out, not waiting for my little brother.

The uncouth brat did not take well to this. "Wait up you bastard! We have to pick up Kagome, I invited her to dinner."

Higurashi Kagome, my little brother's bed warmer, also known as our personal video director. I fought the urge to roll my eyes but did say, "Finally introducing your bitch to Father?"

I turned my head slightly to witness the predictable ugly blush that covered Inuyasha face. Another snarl left his rude mouth, "She's not my bitch! After dinner she's going to show me some footage she recorded of us in Osaka and some new concepts for our next single."

The hanyou was not given an answer, though after many years of being siblings he should not have expected one. Instead, we jumped in my car and sped off home. It was home to Inuyasha but to me, it was merely a dwelling that I stayed in when not on the road or in the studio.

I welcomed Hiten's arms and warmth. The press conference had been draining and I felt like sleeping for a few days. I hated facing all those people, especially reporters. They always wanted to know what's going on in my life and the thing is nothing was going on in my life. Of course, they would never believe that. They were always so sure either I was sleeping around with my band mates or God knows whom else.

Anyway, as soon as we walked off stage I threw myself in her Hiten's arms and silently demanded that he pick me up. I don't have to say a word; Hiten always knows what to do when it comes to me. When my demand was fulfilled, I buried my face into his neck and wrapped my arms around him. After a concert or whatever I always do that.

One of my hands played with Hiten's braid as I watched Naraku pull his own long black hair into a low ponytail. He narrowed his eyes, "We have work tonight Rin."

"I know..." I mumbled against Hiten's tanned flesh. "It's just kind of scary playing as an indie band again."

Haruna Jakotsu, our cheery bass player, playfully, but hard, smacked my head. "Silly we're no longer an indie band! A lot of people know about us and we're already in talks with Amakoi and if all goes well..."

I felt Hiten pat my back, "We'll be signed with one of the biggest labels in Japan."

"We might even get to tour with Expressionless since that label is so friendly with theirs!" I slightly turned my head and felt a smile tug at my lips at Jakotsu; he looked ready to wet his leather pants. "And if that happens then we might be able to share a tour bus and hotel rooms with Inuyasha!"

His lusty grins were stopped when Chiba Bankotsu roughly grab his arm and applied pressure to it, not enough to really hurt our giddy bassist but enough to make him realize that we heard enough. I knew all about Bankotsu's feelings towards Jakotsu, we all did, but he seemed painfully oblivious to them. Jakotsu often went out and found pretty little fan boys to play with, Kiimura Inuyasha being his latest obsession, always failing to see what we did.

Naraku seemed quite annoyed at the turn of events. He coldly reminder us of the small gig we had and grabbed me, rather gently though, from our other guitarist arms. Naraku only care about for four things: the band, his little sister Kanna, Miki Kikyou (a cold hearted bitch if you asked the guys or me) and me. Why he loved his band was simple enough and he was currently dating Kikyou so that made sense. I think he cared about me because he felt sorry for me and because of Kanna.

We met when I was five years old. My family had been killed in front of me and Naraku's family adopted me because I had no other family and they were old family friends. He, at the time, had been 14 and at first didn't give a damn about me. So I hung out with Kanna. Neither of us liked to talk so it was nice to play with someone who didn't make fun of me. I think I was her only friend and I guess Naraku appreciated that. I eventually started to talk again and Kanna talked a little more. She was still quiet but she's not as antisocial anymore.

Bankotsu's sensible voice interrupted my thoughts, "We should get going. We still have hair and makeup to do and then there are the clothes."

The others agreed with Bankotsu and we headed to the van we were using at the moment. The bright lights of Tokyo hurt my eyes and so I leaned against Hiten. There were new posters of Expressionless' new album all over the place. I sighed and stared at the image of the vocalist of my rival band. I wanted to be as popular as them one day. I wanted my face plastered all over Japan.

My band was pretty popular but nowhere near as Expressionless. Naraku was bitter about that, especially when we had heard Inuyasha trash our band. We fired back with insults, mostly Naraku and Hiten calling the guitar player a worthless hanyou, never mind the fact that Naraku himself was a hanyou. It was different according to Hiten, Inuyasha was a worthless one. We human members of the band decided to stay out of it, especially since Jakotsu had such a crush on Inuyasha.

I sighed and buckled in between Bankotsu and Hiten. I wanted to use the latter as a pillow and I knew Bankotsu needed some comfort as well. I brushed my fingers against his and thankfully, he took the hint and allowed my hand to slip into his. He gave me a small grateful smile but then turned his attention to the scenery outside the van. I sighed again; I did that a lot, and glanced at the amber eyes of Sesshoumaru from yet another poster.

Things were going to get bad I knew it.