David was in the music store. He was looking at the different voice recorders available when the sales person came to help him.
"Can I help you with something?" he asked nicely.
"Yes please. Do singers use voice recorders?" he asked politely.
"Ummmm… I believe so, they do. But composers are the ones who usually use them. Singers though need to practice their breathing. Here are some video exercises for breathing. These are some videos for singing techniques and improving vocal power. But the best advice for singers will be to practice regularly."
"I see. Give me everything that is related to singing please," he said.
"Yes sir," the man replied. He was beaming because he will make a great sale.
David was about to pay his bill when a College girl went to the cashier and gave her card.
"I'll pay for what he bought," she told the cashier with a smile.
The cashier looked at David, unsure of what to do.
David turned to the woman and scrunched his forehead, "Do I know you?" he asked.
She looked at him and smiled, "No… not ye--…"
"Exactly," David cut her off and gave his card to the cashier, "I do not know her, please use my card."
The cashier obeyed. After he billed the card, he gave it back to David and David took the bag and walked out leaving the woman behind.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 'This is the second time, David Ji,' she told herself. She opened her eyes once more and watched him walk to his car.
*****
Friday came. The best friends as usual invited Kenji to their Basketball tradition. Basketball was not his preferred sport. He would rather play tennis but that does not mean that he is not good at it. He is, but he does not have the stamina the sport requires. Right now, he was sitting down and resting while the best friends kept on competing against each other.
He looked at Joe. Joe is manly. The way she moves, talks, acts, looks and behaves. At first glance, one would give her a description of a handsome man. However, despite her struggles to hide her true gender, Kenji will always see her, as she is… a girl.
He remembered that night when she sang the song. That was the first time she ever let anyone see her feminine side once more after those years. As his music captivates women, Joe's voice captured him. He was not able to sleep that night. The picture of Joe closing her eyes as she sang, the way her lips moved, and the way her expression changed… they were all... precious.
Joe stole the ball from David and made a three point shot. It went in. Kenji watched her every move.
'What happened? Why did you change, Joe? Who made you change?' Those were the questions he wanted to ask her.
All these years, he wanted to know the answer. All these years, he wanted to know the truth. Surely, he knows David knew. He wanted to know as well. He wanted her to share every important thing with him. He wanted her to treat him like David. He wanted her to treat him MORE like David.
He closed his eyes. He tried to conceal it… he tried to avoid it. He did. He flirted with other girls and he forgot her… The vision of her thirteen years ago at that party with her long hair in curls-- He would forget… they would help him forget. He sighed.
But, that night… That night… It made him remember. It made him want to touch her. It made him want to hug her. It made him want to protect her. Yes… for years… for the sake of friendship… for the sake of closeness… for the sake of her smile and laughter… her happiness, her joy… her desires… he concealed it. He buried it deep within where no one can find out... where no one can recognize… But that night unburied all the feelings he had for her. That night made him realize that no matter what he does, he could not fight with it.
'I love you, Josephine Chen,' he wanted to say out loud as he looked at her. But he could not. At least, not yet.
Joe sat down beside him and took her towel. She wiped her perspiration and drank water, "Are you tired?"
Kenji smiled at her gently and nodded, "How about you?"
"I love basketball… and until that jerk gives up, we will never stop playing," she said.
"Hurry up Joe," David called.
"See?" she chuckled before looking back at Kenji. "Cheer for me, okay? You're on my side," she said and ran back to the courts.
"I will… always... promise…" he said quietly.
*****
Joe walked hurriedly along the corridors. David told her to meet him in front of Room 401. She was already five minutes late. So she hurried her steps. Then, when it was not fast enough, she ran and turned left. All the students were walking out from their classes. Most of them were going in the same direction as she is.
'What's going on?' she asked herself.
Then Joe looked at what the commotion was all about. She was just in time to see a woman blocking David. She walked to him and was about to ask what was happening when the other woman spoke.
"I am Christine Wei. I major in Fashion Design. I like you," she confessed to David but unlike the other girls, she smirked after.
David looked at Joe and made an annoyed face. "Let's go Joe," he said and was about to leave when Christine grabbed his arm.
"Didn't you hear me?"
David looked at the woman with a stern face, still not answering.
"I like you. I really, really, really like you, David Ji," she said and met his stare.
David put his arm around Joe and shrugged off Christine's hold. "Didn't you hear me, Joe? We're leaving," he said and walked away with Joe looking back at Christine while her best friend pulled her closer and dragged her away.
Christine looked at him and sighed, 'This is the third time, David Ji.'