Work Text:
The sound of rushing feet and panted breath met my ears as I was working on helping design the menu for the newest show in the dining hall. I had to be careful working lest Kei see because I had already gotten in trouble once for helping in the shop.
I was surprised to see Unei hurrying past me with his phone in one hand and no less than ten files full of papers in the other.
Without warning, I watched in slow motion as his foot caught on flat ground and he began to fall. I left my seat and rushed over to grip his arm to keep him from falling, causing his folders to fall to the ground and spread out like branches on an old tree in spring.
While the younger man bent over at the waist and propped his hands on his knees, completely disregarding the items splayed on the floor before him. As he caught his breath, I stooped down to begin gathering his folders and his phone.
"Are you ok, Unei?"
"I'm...okay. I'm just... very behind in a project the Boss wants me to do to promote the shop."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"I couldn't ask you to help, _____! Think what Kei would say. Or Qu?"
I just wave my hand as if his concern was unnecessary. "I'm not worried about Kei and Qu wouldn't have a problem unless I worked myself too hard. I'm volunteering because what else do I have to do here?"
Unei paused and looked to the side in thought. When he looked back at me, he looked determined. "Okay! I accept your volunteer to help. Come to the office so I can tell you the details."
In the management office, Unei sat on one side of the desk and I sat in the other as he told me the project he was working on.
He had been tasked in creating and maintaining social media for each member of Starless as a way of free advertisement. Seemed simple enough and I told him that it shouldn't be a problem being the manager of two teams Tattler or Mytube accounts. It even sounded a little fun, especially when he assigned Teams C and W to me.
I smiled down at the Team C folder, knowing information about Qu was in there. Information that I already knew, but since it was him, it was precious to me.
Over the next couple days, I worked hard on creating Team-based profiles on Tattler, Mytube, and Spacebook, just to start off. I used what pictures I already had available of the teams, creating folders for each individual team members as well as one for group pictures. I would take short videos of the teams practicing - when I was allowed by the leaders - and post them to hype up their fans for the full show.
I even created advertisements with all the social links to put with the menus, but Haseyama made the ultimatum that he wanted the information only attainable by purchase. What he didn't say was how it was purchased. With Unei's help, we made it something given with each purchase, no matter the price.
Take that, Haseyama!
After much collaboration with Unei, and many late nights working from home, we were finally able to launch the social medias for all five teams.
It received immediate response and blew up practically overnight. Hundreds of comments were left on the pictures and videos, and discussions about the performances - past, present, and future.
As weeks passed, I noticed an increased number of tickets sold to the teams' performances. A lot of requests for individual performer interactions and merchandise for purchase. With the increased population of each person at Starless, I could see the dollar signs grow in Haseyama's eyes like in older cartoons.
While I didn't always agree with some of his business practices, his suggestion of having social media managers for the teams was a good idea.
Most of the performers were also enjoying their increased popularity with the patrons that came to the shop. It made some of them strive to do even better, thriving under the light of the attention. There were a few that didn't appreciate the attention so much, so their merchandise usually sold higher for its rarity.
What I hadn't anticipated was how I would feel with Qu's increased popularity.
Don't get me wrong, I was happy that he was getting the attention his abilities deserved. However, the more I saw others fawning over him after performances - Mokuren didn't allow interaction beforehand - the more it started to bother me. Every sugary sweet word offered to him, every touch and giggle.
I knew he was professional and caring for his admirers, but as I watched it go on over time, it bothered me more and more.
This went on for weeks and it got to a point where I didn't stick around after a performance as I usually did to gauge how well our work had been going and judge where work needed to be done. Once a performance was done, whether Qu was performing or waiting tables, I would find something to do elsewhere until the sound of the screaming admirers ebbed.
I was jealous. It
It was gut wrenching, hearing his adoring fans scream his name, screaming their love for him.
It was shameful because I knew, deep in the lowest, most adoring sections of my heart, that he loved me and that I had no reason to be jealous. But that didn't stop it from happening.
Thus sequestering myself away until I knew it was safe to emerge again.
"Here you are!"
I jumped at the soft lilting tone of Qu's voice from the door of management's office, tonight's hiding place of choice.
"Qu! What are you doing here?"
"I watched you wander off before tonight's performance. I usually lose sight of you shortly before the show starts, with you suddenly reappearing after all the guests are gone. Since I was on tables tonight, I decided to sneak away during my break to find you. What are you doing in Management's office?"
I held up my phone to him to show him where I had been adding photos to both Team W and Team C's Spacebook pages, adding little descriptions below and replying to different comments and chatboards. Qu's eyes took on a sad look as he looked down at me.
"I appreciate all you've been doing to help us, but you really shouldn't over work yourself. It's not good for you. You should take the time during performance hours to relax and enjoy the show we put on." "I can hear it from here and you know I'm always at your rehearsals."
"It's not the same as it is with you being in the crowd, watching us perform." Qu moved around to the side of the desk I sat at, his black apron swishing with his movements, his black heels making soft thuds on the expensive rug beneath the desk. He sat on the edge of the desk with one knee propped on the edge and took my hand that had my phone, closed the screen - after a couple attempts, careful to avoid breaking it - and carefully placed it upside down on the desktop. Threading our fingers together and wrapping his other hand around the other two, he looked deep in my eyes. "What's wrong? It feels like you're hiding something."
"It's nothing, really. I just have a lot of work to do."
"________..."
The warning tone in his voice told me he knew I wasn't telling him the full truth, so I sighed and bowed my head in minute shame. "I know that it's nothing to be upset about, but I was getting... jealous... of how the customers fawned over you. All the attention they were giving you that you were returning. I was embarrassed at feeling such a thing, so I hid."
I couldn't see his face, but I heard him release a soft sigh as he squeezed our clasped hands. "You are so cute when you're jealous, even though you have nothing to be jealous of."
Cheeks flushed, I was even more determined not to look up at him. I felt one of his thin fingers curl under my chin to turn my face towards his.
"You are the only one I see."