Chapter Text
There was something hilarious about the situation he found himself in. For all the fuss the detectives made when taking him they surely lacked proper footing for their claims. Released from the custody, Ryo straightened his jacket and hugged the coat tightly as the cold breeze from the outside hit him. He should make a complaint about the treatment he got! Not only they dragged him away in the middle of Zool’s concert, they just left him in the custody cell for hours without anyone to complain to! What happened to his rights to defense? It was as if they already decided he was guilty of… what exactly, tax fraud? Smuggling? Ryo laughed to himself as he imagined Zool smuggling cocaine in their socks. Yeah, that surely happened. They had absolutely nothing on him and struggled to put together a case. Illegal trade business is such a broad term too. Ryo did his homework after all - if anything, he was good at getting rid of the evidence. Even their so called “witnesses” confessed in his favor. They had to let him go, at least for now.
Zool though… He probably owed them an apology. Then again, would they even listen to him? Those hours spent alone weren’t merciful on his conscience. There was a part of his mind that even wanted to blame them. If only they noticed him earlier, he would be so much happier! But he had to face the truth - he had never really cheered on them before. Isn’t it only natural not to get an answer when you don’t ask? In the end, he had only himself to blame. Hell, he probably couldn’t be mad at Momo as well. He did try to kill him after all.
All this mess… He felt it even before the police came for him. It couldn’t end well for him and now he probably will fade away, and people will happily dance on his grave, cheering for the heroes’ victory. But the worst part of it was that… he was there. He finally was there, and got what he had been after for years and yet…! They just had to drag him away! After everything that he had done to Zool, they probably wouldn’t even let him congratulate them anymore. His brother was the new president and they probably raised their glasses with joy the second they heard about it. What a happy ending!
Thinking back, he should’ve called a cab. It would save him sore legs and cold, stiff limbs. There was no longer point in that though as he already made it back and his body was slowly unfreezing in the lift. President or not, they couldn’t have taken his own flat in those what, two days he was gone? As he discovered he didn’t take the keys while going out, he reached for the spare one… and it wasn’t there.
‘Come on now. At least let me pack up…’
Honestly, he wanted some wine and sleep. A cell isn’t high on his “places to sleep in” list and he was tired, physically and mentally. It seemed he wouldn’t be granted that mercy though as he could see the lights on in the living room. Two days ago he would’ve stormed in and started yelling at the person daring to disturb him but… Did he have any power left anymore? That failure of a family won again. His 178 cm of a noodle body didn’t make a threatening vision.
‘Hey, I heard the door.’
‘You think he is back?’
Wait a moment. That didn’t sound like his shitty relatives. That sounded like his little idols, the ones he chose and raised. A mass of complicated feelings flooded him and he needed a moment to ground himself. Why would they be there though?
Before he could actually approach the living room first, he heard stomping of multiple feet, the door opening and ah- blinding him with lights.
Once his eyes got used to the environment, there, he saw them - ZOOL, staring at him in complete silence.
‘... Heh. What? Did you manage to dig a hole under your cell and get out?’ Torao began with his usual sarcastic comment. Ryo only laughed and began to take off his shoes. It felt so good to have a heated flooring, he was freezing his ass off outside after all.
‘You know how hard it is to dig with a single spoon in winter? You should know better, Torao’ Ryo hung his coat and the boys made some space for him to enter the room. He noticed blankets over his sofa and TV being on. There were even some chips spilled on the ground.
‘I don’t know if you tried to rob me or not, but you could at least take the TV out.’
‘Of course. What kind of idiot hides a key to his apartment under his doormat. What are you, a grandma?’
‘I do feel like I gained some years while sitting in the custody. But speaking of you, aren’t you a bit too comfortable here? I’m afraid to check the fridge now-’
‘There was nothing in the fridge. We know that you cannot cook at all, Ryo-san’ Minami chuckled ‘But that’s alright. Delivery was pretty alright too.’
‘Haha… I’d love to eat something too. Anyway, why are you here?’ A part of Ryo wanted to believe that it wasn’t just some ‘mandatory’ visit they thought about. Hell, how would they know when was he supposed to get released if HE himself had no idea. It was so sudden when the guard came and told him to get out. Considering this home-like setting there was only one answer, which he was kind of afraid to voice.
‘We heard there is a flat standing empty so we took it.’ Torao waved his hand dismissively and grinned.
‘Unfortunately, I’m back now. It will be a tight fit, you four on the one couch I have, but suit yourself~’ It was so easy to fall back into his usual speech manner. What he didn’t expect was a sudden warmth squeezing him. He looked down to see Haruka who was clinging to him and all the thoughts he could’ve had flung outside the window.
‘...We were waiting for you, idiot.’ He murmured, his face hidden into Ryo’s chest who suddenly had no idea what to do. It was probably the first time that someone had hugged him in how long? 20 years??
His lips twitched, trying to form some words but he only managed to mumble something and sigh in the end.
‘....Let me go, Haruka.’
It felt nice to be hugged but he wasn’t used to it. Too awkward.
‘Haru was crying because you went missing suddenly, you know.’ Touma mentioned, just for Haruka to turn around and almost slap his face.
‘I WASN’T CRYING! STUPID TOUMA!’
‘Oh, he was definitely crying. See, even now he is all teary eyed, our cute Haruka.’ Torao smirked as well, trying to pat his head but he almost got bit. So scary~ But Torao was right - Haruka’s eyes were like glass.
‘I just… I had no opportunity to tell you that, Ryo-san… We wanted to see you and then suddenly your employees said that you won’t be returning. But you were there, right. You saw our performance at Black or White…’ Haruka’s hands clenched on Ryo’s shirt, a pout forming on his face ‘You… called our name. You were cheering on us and…’
‘Your smile was genuine, Ryo-san. Even I managed to notice it, once I looked in the same direction as Isumi-san. I must admit it brought joy to my heart as well.’ Minami had such a soft smile on his face Ryo felt like slapping himself to wake up.
‘Right! For the first time it felt like you were, you know. Actually enjoying yourself. But then you suddenly disappeared and I couldn’t see you again.’ Torao frowned as if the very memory was confusing him.
‘...Yeah… that’s why…’ Haruka looked at Ryo again, his expression obviously mixed. He was cute like this.
‘No need to say it. I… understand.’ Tsukumo put his hands on Haruka’s shoulders ‘I feel like I should be the one doing some sort of speech but right now I’m not in right state of anything. That’s why I will say it only once and that’s it…’ Ryo gave each of boys a look.
‘Thank you, ZOOL. I… felt happy watching you perform. You were really good.’
‘...Only good?’
‘Tora, come on!’
All of them laughed, but Ryo’s expression quickly turned back into tired and a bit melancholic one.
‘As you know, I’m not a president anymore. Therefore, you have no obligation to visit me or anything…’
‘Yeah, as you can see we don’t. We are just having a casual sleepover at your place, while using your electricity and water.’
‘Speaking of water, your bath is nice. Mina was sitting there for almost 3 hours…’
‘I don’t think Ryo-san needs to know any of those details, Inumaru-san.’
Ryo wondered if they really stayed here for those past few days. All because they couldn’t reach him due to his time in the custody? But then…
‘Since I can’t bother you anymore, may I know who is the new manager appointed to you by my idiot brother? I’m afraid that despite not being in Tsukumo Productions anymore, I’d rather not have any newbie or idiot take care of idols that I hatched and raised myself~’
‘Oh, that’s easy. You.’
‘Haha… what?’ Ryo laughed but quickly the laughter died in his throat ‘What are you talking about? I cannot be in charge of you if you are in Tsu-’
‘Well… you see, Ryo-san. There have been a problem.’ Touma scratched his head, but he didn’t look troubled or anything.
‘Ah yea, your brother called us the day after BW to introduce himself and shit. You know, he wanted to discuss new arrangements and other stuff…’
Ryo didn’t like that strange silence that followed after Torao spoke. Haruka let of his shirt go and sighed.
‘He was actually being nice, you know. ‘There, I can propose you a better conditions! But also better jobs, anything you desire.’ he said. But that wasn’t the case.’
‘Indeed. He stopped being really nice once he told him that we are quitting Tsukumo Productions and going indie.’
‘Ahaha---.........ha.’ There it was. Ryo’s nervous laugh halted once again and he yelled from the top of his lungs.
‘YOU…. YOU QUIT. YOU QUIT TSUKUMO PRODUCTIONS?! YOU?!’ He stuttered at least 5 times saying that one word, his face showing obvious signs of disbelief. ZOOL backed away one step, in case Ryo decided that throwing a vase with water inside was a good idea (they still recalled that habit of his) but instead Ryo just sat down and hid his face in his hands. Unbelievable sight.
‘You… IMBECILES! IDIOTS! MORONS, STUPID! Which one of you thought it was a good idea?!’
Nothing felt as good as being lectured by the same man who just returned from the police custody under suspicion of illegal trade business.
‘You became idols! You got what you wanted and had a whole career in front of you! The 3 years plan would get cancelled, you were free, then why…?!’
‘Because it’s not ‘our’ Tsukumo Productions if you aren’t there, sitting at the desk and grinning like an idiot while staring at the pictures of Nanase. That’s why’ Haruka said and put hands on his hips ‘Besides, your brother took all the gaming gear out of your office. It’s not fun to sit there if I can’t use your PlayStation.’
Ryo was staring at him, dumbfounded. Was he serious?
‘So basically you… gave my brother a resignation?’
‘He wasn’t really eager to accept it until Torao said he would rather sit on a cactus than with him in the one room.’
Ryo had to hold back a laugh. He wished he could actually see that conversation - his ZOOL talking to his brother and just throwing resignation papers right into his face… Serves him right, a bitch that he is!
‘After that comment, he just accepted our papers and told us to take our stuff… Oh, and this as well’ Minami went to fetch something from the kitchen counter. A small cardboard box filled with pictures of-
‘...My private collection!’
‘You won’t change at all, huh. Anyway, those Nanase bromides are yours. Unless you wanna get rid of them? I think Touma will be eager to take them.’ Torao asked as he took one in his hand. He made a surprised expression as this one was holographic. As mentioned, Touma snatched the said bromide out of his hand with embarrassed expression.
‘...No. I will keep them. Same as I keep-’
‘Our stuff, huh. It’s also here.’ Haruka pulled out some photos of them together. Ryo recognized that set. It was one of their first photo sessions together after he created ZOOL. They were still newbies in this but hey, that’s what Photoshop was made for, right?
A unit with dark and gangster like aura that was supposed to destabilize idol industry and taint it in darkness. In the end it never happened because ZOOL was the one that bathed him in the light he probably had never expected to see. He didn’t even notice as the corners of his mouth raised up.
Click!
Ryo looked in the direction of sound, just to see Haruka taking a picture of him with his phone.
‘...There. Look at yourself, Ryo-san’ He let Ryo see the photo and… the man couldn’t almost recognize himself.
If a year ago someone told him that he would see himself smiling like this and feel ‘happy’ he would probably make a snarky comment and laugh at them. But now, it wasn’t the case anymore.
He genuinely felt happy.
‘...You are truly idiots, you know?’
‘Unfortunately, we are. But this is your fault, Ryo-san… or should we say ‘manager-san’?’ Minami put a strand of loose hair behind the ear and smiled in his usual way.
‘You are.. joking, right. Me, a manager?’ He couldn’t even properly use the washing machine, how did they expect him to become their manager out of the sudden?
‘Come on, you will learn everything from the beginning, right! It cannot be anyone else but you, Ryo-san. I am confident in what I say, despite of what happened between us.’ Touma sounded pretty serious, meanwhile Ryo was still left completely dumbfounded.
‘Ryo-san... remember what you said? ZOOL is worth more than the money you put into us. It’s all because you made it. You made us.’
Those words… he said that while not thinking straight and just rushing out of the room, thinking how idols should just go extinct. That time, he also met Riku whose speech made his brain literally fry. He talked about being selfish and doing things for your own happiness, so…
‘...Right. I made you. Yes, exactly! I made you. I choosed you, I raised you and I would literally kill anyone who tried to take you away from me!’
‘Cut out the murder part, you are already close to the jail time, Ryo-san.’
‘Hah, right. Doesn’t change the fact that I’m glad you showed a middle finger to my brother and left. But you know it will probably affect everything around you, right?’
‘It will, of course. We calculated the risks as well… everyone were content with this decision, Ryo-san.’
‘Going wild like this… I guess we are gonna do it Trigger way!’ Torao approached one of the cupboards and pulled a bottle of unopened wine ‘Haruka, go fetch the glasses and… some juice for yourself.’
‘Do it yourself, damn!’ Haruka said but in the end he went to the kitchen to get the stuff they needed. Soon, all of them were sitting in front of the table, each having a drink for themselves. Funny, just few weeks ago he was literally stomping on this table with his feet, telling ZOOL that he doesn’t need them, they will betray him and-
Now, he had a glass of wine, leftover sushi from convenience store in front of him and 4 pairs of eyes staring at him.
‘So… do we toast?’
‘What for?’
‘Let’s see… Ryo-san escaping from the jail, our downfall from major label and-’
‘Oh come on, be a bit more positive! It’s not the end, remember? Mina said so. It is our new beginning and… this is what I want to toast for. Won’t you agree?’
‘Yeah, but I think our new ‘manager’ should raise a toast, right’
Ah yes, they will torment him no matter what. Well, they took after him, right? Ryo stood up and raised a glass, his eyes looking at all of ZOOL.
‘Alright, my animal garden. Tonight, we raise a toast for failure. We are an idiots who are going to be looked down by the society but we will once again raise up to the previous rank and crush everyone on our way. Idols, people, my brother - doesn’t matter! But…’
Ryo smiled to himself.
‘As long as it’s with you, I can do it. I will be counting on you, ZOOL.’
Everyone rose their glasses, new resolve born in each beating heart.
‘For… ZOOL’s death and rebirth. Cheers.’
clink!