Type: Novel Summary
Title: Back Stage!!
Series: Love Stage!!
Author/Circle: Eiki Eiki, Amano Kazuki
Rating: PG
Language: English
This time: Rei attends a concert for a popular new indies rock band…and runs into a familiar face.
Notes: Volume 2 was recently released, so over the next couple of weeks we’ll be bringing your more summaries of chapters 4-6! Enjoy more summaries of the burgeoning relationship between Rei and Shougo :3

Chapter 4

Our scene opens with Rei reviewing the latest audition to enter the Sena Productions name, finding himself grossly underwhelmed with the singer’s sense of presence, despite their talents. They need someone who really pops, but perhaps that’s not something that can be taught–it has to be innate.

Shougo had that innate sense of presence, he recalls. It’s been three years now since Shougo left the Sena family house in his efforts to surpass his father and thereby make Rei fall for him over Seiya. Since then, he hasn’t contacted his family at all, and in turn, the Sena Productions house has continued to be in disarray–for two reasons mainly.

The first involves the reduction in workload for Seiya on the heels of his surgery to remove the polyps in his throat. The second involves the fruitless efforts thus far to find someone who can take over as the primary talent for the agency after Seiya and Nagisa retire.

Rei’s thoughts are interrupted here by the arrival of another agency’s scout, Kiuchi, who often approaches Rei himself with offers to become a talent. They have an easy relationship, though, and Rei graciously turns him down–but then Kiuchi changes the subject, wondering if Rei’s heard about this new up-and-coming indies band Crusherz that sold out the Budoukan (capacity: 14,000+) as soon as tickets went on sale. Indeed, Rei has not–and this information surprises him, as while it’s not unheard of for unsigned bands to play concerts at the Budoukan, he’s never known one to sell out every seat so quickly.

It seems they’re a very strange, secretive band, with not even the members’ names being made public, and they’re looking for an agency to take them on. Rei understands that SenaPro isn’t really geared towards promoting rock bands, but if they’re this big a deal, they might merit some looking into. He laments that tickets are sold out–but then Kiuchi remembers he’s got an extra VIP ticket, and invites Rei to go check them out together.

On the day of the live, they find themselves in the Budoukan, two rows from the front, with a sold out stadium at their backs. Shortly, the lights go down, and the crowd starts to liven up. The screams start to peak as a man steps out onto the stage with a guitar and a huge ‘R’ displayed on a monitor above–apparently this is how the band members are known. Then, a second man steps out with his own guitar–and a huge ‘H’ is displayed above. Lastly, a spotlight hits the center stage, and out steps the third and final band member under the letter ‘S’, the vocals: Shougo.

Everything else fades away for Rei, until all he can see is Shougo. He’s styled and wearing sunglasses, but Rei has no doubt in his mind that it’s Shougo. All of the sounds and environment return immediately when Shougo starts to sing, though.

It’s a completely different sound from Seiya; Seiya’s songs had always soothed and healed Rei, but this…this is an impact, an attack on all of Rei’s senses. It wires him up, shakes him to the core, and he can’t help the words that come from his mouth. “Amazing…” He’s trembling with excitement, that’s how sensational Shougo’s singing is. And even more so: he still has such presence, standing there on stage, shining and sparkling for all to see. He is, without a doubt, Seiya’s son. Rei can’t believe he’s come this far in just three years.

---

The three hours of the concert seem to pass in an instant. Kiuchi suggests they leave, but Rei is still thoroughly shaken, muttering that I have to go…backstage. I have to go backstage. Kiuchi laughs that that’s impossible–interviews with the band members are prohibited, after all. He won’t be able to get past security.

Rei moves to protest that he has every right to be back there, but quickly swallows his words; probably best to keep it to himself for now that the mysterious S is actually the son of Sena Seiya. Still–he can’t help himself any more, and after offering a quick apology to Kiuchi, Rei makes his exit, headed for the dressing rooms.

When he steps into the hall, he sees a large crowd of showbiz associates of his, but just as Kiuchi had said, none of them–not even the big names–are being granted access. However, Rei has no intention of giving up so easily, and he plunges through the waves of people.

He’s stopped once he reaches the doors, though, by a staff member reminding him, “I’m sorry, but no one–no matter who they may be–will be permitted to pass through.”

At this, Rei recalls distantly how he’s experienced such rejection before…

That winter day, when he first met Seiya–when the staff wouldn’t let him back to see Seiya. He refuses to give up and tries again, reminding them that if they just say that Sagara Rei of SenaPro is here to see S, then S–Shougo will understand.

Still, he’s turned away and reminded that the band members are about to leave–but not to be deterred, he finds a gap in their security and rushes past, catching a glimpse of a small group headed towards the parking garage of the stadium.

That’s when he finally sees Shougo–and calls out to him, not once but twice, thinking he wasn’t heard. But Shougo had indeed heard, and when he turns around to acknowledge Rei, the expression on his face seems to say that he doesn’t want to see Rei at all, his face reflecting his shock and panic the minute he catches sight of Rei, and without a word, he darts off in the other direction, leaving Rei utterly flabbergasted at the reaction.

“What…the hell was that?!” It’s something he could never have expected from Shougo after all this time.

The staff eventually catch up with him and urge him to return to the stadium, and Rei complies–but not before indulging in one last desperate attempt, and he twists around again to look for Shougo…but he’s gone.

---

At home that evening, Rei’s going over the day’s events in his head, still trying to wrap his mind around it. What could have made Shougo run off like that just from seeing Rei?

Without a doubt, the concert had been amazing. Even if the vocalist hadn’t turned out to be Shougo, Rei’s quite sure he would’ve made his way to that hallway with the intention of trying to sign the Crusherz to SenaPro regardless.

But…the reason he’d rushed past the staff and chased after them had been because it was Shougo, in the end. Did the fact that Shougo had fled from him mean…that he didn’t want to see Rei anymore? That expression of panic had definitely not shown that he was happy at their reunion, at the very least.

And well, Rei supposes it’s not entirely unthinkable… They’ve been apart for three years; perhaps Shougo’s fallen in love with someone else? But as soon as he considers this proposal, he grows flustered at himself. Why should he care if something like that’s happened? Quite the contrary–it would be best for all parties involved!

But this only confirms that he’d selfishly assumed…that even after three years, when they met up again, Shougo would still be in love with Rei.

Three years is a long time–longer still to someone as young and vibrant as Shougo. There’s absolutely nothing strange about not being in love with the same person three years later. Quite the contrary–it would’ve been stranger, now that he thinks about it, if the guy had managed to still be in love with someone whose face he hadn’t even seen in three years.

Still, he needs to stop thinking about anything involving Shougo and his feelings and start thinking about what to do about the Crusherz. He has to get them to sign with SenaPro–and that means somehow getting in touch with Shougo.

And that’s when he realizes…he doesn’t know how to get in touch with Shougo. He has absolutely no idea how to contact him. Hell, Shougo himself probably doesn’t know his own contact information.

But–Seiya should know! Resolving to call up Seiya in the morning to figure out their next step, he finishes off the rest of his can of beer and turns in.

To be continued…

• summary