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“What’s the POPIPA?!” Game show hosts Hanako Yugi and Yashiro Nene yell into the camera, mics in hand. The camera zooms out of their faces and into a wider frame, capturing their guests, two up and coming idols. They both smile sweetly into the camera.
“So let’s begin! I’m sure everyone knows you two, but could we get an introduction?” Mitsuba and Kou glance at each other, and Mitsuba begins to speak before Kou can, camera zooming into his face.
“Hello everyone! I’m Mii-chan! I debuted two years ago, when I was 16.” Mitsuba sits with his legs crossed and hands folded, perfect posture. Interested murmurs arise from the crowd, a few claps here and there. The moment the camera pans to Kou, Mitsuba’s smile drops and he unfolds his hands, though still seeming engaged in order to not offend the hosts.
“My name is Minamoto Kou, I… uh also debuted two years ago!” While the camera is still zoomed into Kou’s face, Mitsuba slyly smiles in Kou’s direction, and then sticks out his tongue at him. Kou goes wide-eyed and fumbles at the unexpected rudeness. The camera immediately goes back to Yashiro and Hanako.
“The first game today is going to be-” Hanako flips through some cards and holds up one. “-how big of a fan are you?” Hanako says simply. Yashiro claps excitedly, and exclaims,
“This is one of my favorites! In this game, we will ask both of you questions about each other's careers. Minamoto, we’ve heard on your Twitter that you’re quite the Mii-chan fan.” Kou’s face goes slightly red as he gives a little laugh, and he scratches his head nervously. Mitsuba has a nice smile on his face, calmly looks at Kou and says,
“Oh?” The delivery wasn’t pompous, the expression wasn’t overly-confident, all signs point to kind surprise, but every signal in Kou’s head says that Mitsuba could not have been more smug.
“Oh, yeah. I’ve been a fan since he debuted. You debuted a little before me, so I was very into idol culture around that time.” Mitsuba can’t hide his smile anymore, it creeps up and overtakes his face.
“Kou-chan, I’m glad to have your support! I can also say I’ve been a fan for some time, but nowhere near as long as you.” Mituba and Kou look into each other's eyes, and something about Mitsuba’s smile feels so much more genuine to Kou now; and he can’t tell why. Yashiro claps to get their attention, and then says,
“Hanako and I will yell out a question and the both of you will need to answer for each other's careers. When you have an answer, press your button. Simple enough, eh?” A production member pulls out two big, red buttons, and hands them to Kou and Mitsuba.
“When did they deb-” Kou’s button buzzes before Hanako can finish his sentence.
“Mii-chan debuted May 5th, 2018!” While the camera focuses on Yashiro while she comments something, Mitsuba turns to Kou and stares at him with an awed disgust. He mouths,
“How did you know..?” Kou shrugs and smiles back. Suddenly, a whole mountain of fake snow is dumbed on Mitsuba.
“Remember Mii-chan! Everytime you lose a question, you’ll get a consequence. The camera zooms in on Mitsuba’s face and he has to muster up a very taught smile. Kou turns to him and knocks snow off his head. The camera misses how Mitsuba goes completely red.
“Next question, where was their first tv interview appearance?” Mitsuba presses the button.
“What’s the POPIPA?” He hesitantly says. Yashiro woops, yelling,
“Correct! Now Minamoto, get ready for your consequence!” A production member comes up to Mitsuba and hands him a pie. Mitsuba smiles widely, then takes a glance at Kou. Kou and Mitsuba lock eyes, with Kou pleading,
“Mii-chan, Mii-chan, please. C’mon-” Mitsuba grabs the back of Kou’s head and forces the pie on to his face. He makes sure to smear it all over Kou’s face. Kou wipes the cream from his eyes and glares at Mitsuba, while he breaks out into a fit of laughter. Yashiro’s scream breaks them out of their moment, and they look back to see Hanako has pied Yashiro, too.
“Hanako!!!” She yells, wiping the pie from her face. They all start laughing together, everyone except Yashiro, who sits with a pout. The producer begins to wave Yashiro and Hanako on so they start the next question.
“Ok! Last question, what is the title of the first song they sang in concert?” Mitsuba presses his button immediately.
“Rifujinseironpa..?”
“Incorrect!” Hanako says. Kou remembers that he sang Setsuna no Ai- Rifujinseironpa his second time in concert. Yashiro says that Kou has a shot at the point now, so he smiles wide and answers,
“World is mine!” Mitsuba stares at him with clear disgust, but Kou just keeps smiling.
“Mii-chan!! You know what that means!” Hanako hums. Mitsuba smiles for the camera, right as a production assistant comes behind the camera with a large bucket of water.
“No!! I’m too cute for this cruel punishment!! If I’m getting splashed, Kou-chan is too!!” Mitsuba lunges onto Kou’s lap. Kou has no time to react as water is splashed all over both of them. Mitsuba was still clinging onto him, completely drenched. Mitsuba looks up at Kou, and while the both of them are sopping wet, Kou’s heart skips a beat and he could feel heat rising up his neck.
“Right after our idols get cleaned up, they’ll come back for a special, exclusive performance of Kimagure Romantic!” Yashiro says, with a big smile. Hanako nods his head, and then the camera goes out. Mitsuba doesn’t move from Kou’s arms at first. Only after staring at each other a little too long does Mitsuba go completely red and squirm out of his lap. Mitsuba runs backstage before Kou can even get a word in. Hanako gets up from his chair and glides over to Kou.
“You like Mitsuba-chan!” He says, tauntingly. And loud. Very loud. Kou’s heart could only agree with Hanako’s statement as he sputtered,
“N-no I don’t!” his sopping clothes started to become increasingly uncomfortable..
“Yes you do!! And I’m no matchmaker, but I think it’d be worth the time to ask him to coffee. That is, if you won’t be such a pussy.”” Hanako says, leaning in to whisper in Kou’s ear.
“He’s your idol, isn’t he?” Kou gets up and walks away from a still smiling Hanako, and runs back to his dressing room. Hanako wasn’t wrong; Mii-chan-or Mitsuba, he could definitely use his knowledge on how to successfully break into the idol business. Yes! That was his excuse. He’d been following Mii-chan since the day he debuted, knew every song he’d ever sang, remembered each and every important date, and had been to as many concerts as he could afford. Kou loved Mii-chan - the sparkling idol sensation of Japan! - but the thought of loving Mitsuba sent a shiver up his spine. Kou opens the door to his room to see the mentioned boy standing in the doorway. Apparently he already had enough time to get dry, get his hair and makeup done, and get dressed in a very bold pink suit. Kou knew what he looked like a few minutes ago-very cute. But with his makeup and hair done, with his performing outfit on? Kou’s heart beat ever so faster just looking at him. Kou gulps before Mitsuba opened his mouth and sighed,,
“How did you get in?” Mitsuba rolls his eyes. “Listen here, lame ass earring, I don’t know what your goal is here. I know, since I’m so cute, you’d obviously be charmed by me. And even though you look at me with those eyes, so earnestly and sincere, I know what you are! You’re totally in love with me!!” Mitsuba is yelling, screaming at Kou, while tears start to run down his cheeks. “Pervert! Pervert! Pervert! You’re a pervert!!” Kou stares as Mitsuba, and slightly raises his hands,
“No-no… I’m not a pervert, I-”
“Just because I’m a cute boy you think you’re gonna get it rough! Got me in your dressing room, alone, blocking the door! What are you gonna do? Throw me on to the loveseat and-” Kou turns to stop blocking the door, and in turn blocks Mitsuba from saying anything else that could give him a fever.
“Mii-chan, I’ve always been a big fan of yours. I think we both had fun today. I’d love to get to know you more. But-” Mitsuba goes completely red in the face, wipes away his tears, and then just continues to sputter. Kou can feel his ears start to heat up, feeling like he’s getting nowhere, when Mitsuba suddenly yells,
“I’ll come see you after the show, pervert.” He then runs out of the room, and slams the door behind him.
Mitsuba thinks that went well, damn he’s so smooth like that. He’s lying to himself heavily, but nevertheless. After telling Kou that he would go out with him, he ran back to Yashiro’s dressing room to cry, but unfortunately found her and Hanako making out on the couch. Great. And now he’s back in his dressing room, sitting on his couch and crying. Mitsuba wants to scream, to let out all his frustration and nervousness, but he’s pretty sure his manager would murder him, so he refrains. He gets two knocks at his door, and yells,
“Come in.” Yashiro hesitantly comes in, and sits next to Mitsuba.
“I’m sorry you had to see that, Mitsuba. How did it go with Kou?” Mitsuba takes a pillow in his hands and attempts to smother himself with it. His muffled response could be heard from under the pillow,
“Fine.”
“Oh, that’s good! You weren’t mean to him, right?” Mitsuba doesn’t respond. “Mitsuba!! How are you going to get such a popular ikeman to date you if you can’t even be kind?!” Mitsuba groans loudly from under the pillow.
“He asked me out.” Yashiro nearly screams, and yells,
“He what?! Even after you were mean to him? What did you do? What did you say? Tell me everything!” Mitsuba throws the pillow away and responds,
“I told him I’d meet him after the show.” Yashiro gets up, then extends her hand for Mitsuba.
“Let’s go then!!” Mitsuba gets up with a groan, already tired of his performance clothes. Kou admitted to being a fan of Mitsuba’s- and maybe Mitsuba knew Kou a little better than he let on. Mitsuba was simply a… follower. He knows all of his songs, knows where he performed last, knows when his album is releasing, and knows his height- all normal fan things. Unlike Kou, who seems to know everything about Mitsuba. But really, who wouldn’t want to? When you're as cute as Mitsuba, you get used to it. Mitsuba and Yashiro arrive on set to see Hanako and Kou already there. The crew is still setting up the cameras and lights, so they have time to chat for a bit while the audience plies in. Yashiro and Mitsuba stay in their own corner and Hanako and Kou do the same; almost as if they’re children instead of young adults. Each whispering about each other, trying to be secretive about looking at them, and loud laughs from each direction. Finally the production manager asks for places, and Kou and Mitsuba go to stand next to each other. Yashiro and Hanako meet in front of the camera, each grabbing a mic, branded “What’s the POPIPA?!”. As the cameras start rolling, and Yashiro and Hanako welcome everybody back and set up the performance, Kou and Mitsuba’s eyes meet. For a second, Mitsuba doesn’t know what to do. Then Kou smiles at him- his big goofy smile. Mitsuba takes a second, and then smiles right back. Then the music starts up. Spotlight comes up on Mitsuba as he begins to sing Kimagure Romantic.
“My romantic love antenna, Flew off somewhere in a storm. It can’t be, after I treated you so coldly.” On ‘you’, a spotlight comes up on Kou, and he comes to life, circling around Mitsuba. “Your impudent dimples make my heart flutter.” Mitsuba finishes the verse, and Kou jumps in.
“He’s actually someone dear to me, who scolds me so seriously… If I say that, He’ll definitely get proud. So I won’t praise him anymore.” Kou keeps eye contact with Mitsuba as he sings. Mitsuba’s face begins to go red, but he’s in front of the audience, so turns his head around and closes his eyes.The crowd laughs a little in response. Mitsuba brings his microphone up again and goes to the edge of the stage. Kou heads towards the opposite end.
“I’m tired of this boring destiny,” Mitsuba sings, waving down at the audience.
“Set me free with those unknown words.” And then Kou and Mitsuba turn and look at each other, and sing the chorus.
“Darling, darling, break down the door to my heart. Look me in the eye and tell me what’s important to you. If I’m with you, I can escape this town. Take me away, my sweet sweet darling.” Mitsuba can’t hold himself back any longer, his cheeks are flaming, his neck is on fire, because every time he looks at Kou, he’s looking right back, singing those lovey-dovey words right back at him. After a brief instrumental where Kou and Mitsuba dance around for the crowd, they meet back at their starting positions. With one final hit from the drums, Mitsuba and Kou strike a pose. Immediately after the crowd roars and the camera cuts, Kou grabs Mitsuba by the hand and drags him backstage. Mitsuba follows Kou backstage with no resistance, until Kou stops in a corner of the backstage area. He backs himself into the corner, with Mitsuba on the outside.
“It’s after the show, right?” Kou says, another big dumb smile on his face. Mitsuba refuses to meet his eyes, as he processes flashbacks of what happened seconds ago. Sure he knew he was singing Kimagure Romantic with Kou- but for Kou to keep smiling at him, and to practically serenade him during a performance… that was not planned. Mitsuba is still beet red, his pulse going ten times faster than it should be, but when Kou puts a hand under Mitsuba’s chin to raise his head, Mitsuba goes into overdrive. Mitsuba closes his eyes tight, right before slinging his arms around Kou’s neck and going on his tip-toes to kiss him. Their first kiss is brief- just a touch of the lips. Kou pulls back, and smiles down at Mitsuba.
“Is that an answer?” Mitsuba plants a kiss on his cheek and says,
“Shut up.” Kou meets Mitsuba in the middle, and they end up kissing so much Mitsuba is sure he’s gone braindead. Meanwhile, Hanako and Yashiro wonder where the two idols went.
When Kou and Mitsuba finally let go of each other long enough to have coherent thoughts, they both realise they ran away from an excited crowd and the entire show. So pretty much, they’re meat and their managers are gonna dine. Mitsuba quickly plants another kiss on Kou’s cheek and runs back on set, with little care of how disheveled he looks. He shows up just in time to see the crew packing up and the hosts talking on the side.
“What did I miss?!” He asks. Yashiro takes one look at his appearance and herds him off the stage.
“It was just wrap up. You didn’t even really need to be there. I’m sure you were up to more exciting activities, by how you look.” Hanako follows close behind, and then says he’s going to go find Kou. Yashiro takes Mitsuba all the way back to his dressing room, and plants him in front of the mirror to take a look. Mitsuba goes red again at just how bad he looks. He knew Kou’s fingers were in his hair, but he doesn’t remember him nearly taking out his ponytail. His lips are almost swollen, his suit is ruffled, and quite honestly; he looks like a mess. Mitsuba nearly screams into the mirror. He quickly goes to work fixing his hair and touching up his makeup. Yashiro stands by silently, but Mitsuba can feel her judgement.
“You don’t have much room, you were with that creepy Hanako earlier.” Yashiro yelps, grabbing a pillow from the couch and tossing it at Mitsuba’s head.
“Speaking of, I better go meet with him.”
“Why, so you can go make out more? Maybe give him-” Yashiro throws another pillow at Mitsuba and then ducks out of the room. Mitsuba gives one last look to his reflection, and declares it as good as earlier. Not like he can get less cute -there's no such thing. There are just different kinds of cute, and he hits them at different times. Suddenly, he gets two knocks at his door, and without thinking yells,
“Come in!” Kou walks right behind Mitsuba, still disheveled. Mitsuba’s heart swells a little seeing him in such bright lighting in such a damning state- he looks really good. And knowing that Mitsuba did this to him? Icing on the cake.
“You look like trash. Twenty minutes and you couldn’t fix yourself?” Mitsuba says, putting a hand over his mouth. Kou laughs a little, and pulls out his phone.
“Mitsuba, you didn’t really give me an answer earlier… will you go on a date with me?” Mitsuba goes red, but tries to cover it up by laughing.
“As if! I would never go out with you, lame pervert!” Mitsuba is still completely red and quite possibly braindead. As Kou turns around to leave, Mitsuba swallows his pride and grabs his hand. “My romantic love antenna flew off somewhere in a storm. It can’t be, after I treated you so coldly. You impudent dimples make my heart flutter.” He sings quietly, avoiding eye contact with Kou at all costs. Kou turns back, taking Mitsuba’s hand in his and interlocking their fingers.
“He’s actually someone so dear to me, who scolds me so seriously… If I say that, he’ll definitely get proud. So I won’t praise him anymore.” Kou is staring down at Mitsuba while he sings, and Mitsuba finally turns to look at him. Kou takes Mitsuba’s chin in his hand again, and leans all the way down to kiss him. Mitsuba goes red, but melts into their kiss- they slowly pull back, and share a dopey grin. Mitsuba turns to his makeup table and takes out a pen and paper, quickly writing down his name and number, and hands it to Kou without meeting his eyes. Kou stuffs it in his pocket, and then pulls out another piece of paper out of his pocket. Handing it to Mitsuba, he leans down again to kiss his forehead. Kou pulls back slightly and whispers to him,
“My manager is waiting for me. I’ll call you tonight. Or you can call me.” Kou walks towards the exit, leaving Mitsuba still more pink than any blush could. But in the entryway to the door, Kou looks back and smiles at Mitsuba. Mitsuba turns away from him -but they both know he saw it. While putting the number into his phone, Spotify captures Mitsuba’s attention. He immediately goes to search up Kimagure Romantic. Mitsuba adds it to his playlist.