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A grandiose shower of red rose petals, an energetic dance, the intrigued look of the passersby, but most of all, the joyous faces of the bride and the groom…
These were the moments Rui loved the most: everyone giving their all to realize a wonderful show.
At the beginning he showed up because he was curious about how things would turn out for Aoyagi. It sounded fun and to top it all, it would have made Len happy to see a real wedding. Who knew he would get to participate, let alone as a director nonetheless.
It ended up being a good learning experience for him too.
"The wedding was a great success!!" Len exclaimed enthusiastically.
Now that they were alone it was safe for him to come out of Rui's phone.
"You are right, it really was a success." Rui agreed.
A few hours had passed since he left the venue, but he could still feel the excitement in his body.
"We also got to use the cannon we built in action!!"
Just that morning they went shopping for more parts to realize said cannon. Not only did he see Rui's inventor side in action (to finish the cannon in time), but also the invention properly working and proving the grand finale Rui wished for.
Rui-kun really is a genius!! Len thought.
Len's respect for Rui had only grown stronger. He also wanted to come up with amazing inventions to help create unforgettable shows with his troupe.
"Your idea was really the icing on the cake. It definitely made the show more "explosive"."
"Eheheh."
Rui's comment made the virtual singer overjoyed. It might not have been much, but he was glad he was able to help.
"Oh right, we have to let Tsukasa know! How about visiting him?" Len suggested.
Rui was surprised by Len's proposal. He had been to Nene's house many times, but the idea of visiting Tsukasa made him feel strange. It was a different emotion from when he would go see his childhood friend: a mix of fear, nervousness, but also warmth.
"Umm…" Rui was conflicted, "He sounded like dying this morning…"
"That's true…"
No, I shouldn't let my doubts have the upper hand, Rui thought.
Didn't he just learn today that he should stop hesitating?
"But maybe we should pay a brief visit." Rui changed his mind.
In response, Len's eyes lighted up.
"Yay!! Let's go!"
Now that Rui was determined to go over to his friend's house, a random feel of excitement took over his body.
Who knew I could feel so overwhelmed just by simply visiting a friend?
Still, before they could actually go, there was something that needed to be taken care of.
"Don't you think we should probably bring a get-better gift?" Rui questioned.
He was already going to visit his troupe leader uninvited, it would be rude to just go empty handed.
"But what should we get?" Len pondered.
Since it was rare for anyone in the Sekai to get sick, he just didn't know what could be considered a good "get-better" gift.
"How about ginger root tea? Not only is it good for an upset stomach, but drinking tea helps stay hydrated."
"That's a great idea!!"
"Let's see, there should be a shop where we could buy it on the way."
After a quick search, Rui was able to find an herbalist shop on the way to Tsukasa's home, that was sure to have the tea he was looking for.
With the Maps app on hand, it was now time to set forth to the shop first and then to Tsukasa's house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Having brought the highest quality ginger tea he could find in the shop, Rui was now standing right in front of Tsukasa's house, hesitant to ring the doorbell.
"Rui-kun, are you nervous?" Len asked worriedly.
Rui had been staring at the door for a few minutes now. From an outsider perspective, he might have seemed like a malicious person, but in reality he was just a shy guy.
"I can't say I am not." He admitted, "Not counting Nene, it's been a while since I have been to a friend's house."
"I see, but this is Tsukasa we are talking about! I'm sure he will be happy to see you!" Len cheered him on, "We also have a gift for him!"
"You are right, thank you for the encouragement."
Rui was genuinely grateful to the little virtual singer, if it wasn't for Len, he would have never thought about visiting the sick troupe leader, not wanting to be a bother.
"Fiuu…"
He then took a deep breath and with a newly found courage he finally rang the doorbell.
"Just a moment!!"
Rui was startled by a girl's voice. While he was expecting Tsukasa to answer, since it was a Sunday it was of no surprise there would be other people home.
When the owner of the voice opened the door, a twin-tailed girl appeared. Just like Tsukasa, her hair tips were peach colored: it was indeed Tsukasa' sister, Saki.
"Oh, Rui-kun!" Saki greeted.
"Good afternoon Saki-kun, sorry for the unexpected visit. Is Tsukasa home?"
"Good afternoon! Tsukasa is a bit busy at the moment, but please come on in!" Saki invited Rui to enter the house.
"Thank you very much. If it's not too much of a problem, I hope you can accept this gift." Rui handed the paper bag in his hands to Saki, "It's ginger tea. It is said to be good for an upset stomach."
"Woaah! You shouldn't have!!"
"It's just a simple present, in the hope that Tsukasa-kun will get better soon."
As Saki examined the shopping bag she had just received, she soon noticed a famous logo printed on it.
Wait, isn't this a pretty expensive brand??
"Can we really have this?" She wondered. She was almost inclined to refuse such a pricey gift.
"Obviously." Rui reassured, "I specifically asked the clerk for the finest tea he had. Take it as a sign of appreciation for all the hard work Tsukasa has done for us."
Seeing his brother's friend so determined, she had no choice but to accept it. She would make sure to tell Tsukasa so that he could repay the favor.
"I see, thank you very much!!" She bowed, "My brother will surely be thrilled!"
"Eheh, I'm glad to hear that."
"Anyway, please make yourself comfortable!" Saki accompanied him to the living room, "Feel free to take a seat on our couch. I will be back in a second!"
After that quick exchange, Rui was welcomed to sit on their sofa while Saki went to put away the present in the kitchen and get some sweets she could offer to their guest.
Waiting for his host, Rui was looking around the house. Even from the outside one could tell it was a considerably large house. Maybe not at the same level as the Otori family's mansion, but still big enough to be organized in two floors. On the inside, thanks to the light colored parquet, the house gave a rather cozy feeling, helped by how neatly everything was set up. Still, here and there one could see things that would remind them that this was indeed Tsukasa's house. For example, lying on the very couch Rui was now sitting on, a pegasus and a star plushie would be found.
Eheh...Those are very Tsukasa-like things to own , Rui thought.
"Thank you for waiting!" Saki charged in, "Here are some cookies and various other sweets!"
She returned with a plate full of different kinds of pastries, hoping there was at least one Rui would enjoy.
"I'm sorry for the poor hospitality, both our parents are out at the moment and Tsukasa is still holed up in the bathroom right now." Saki explained, "He has been going in and out of the bathroom since this morning. The doctor said there is nothing to worry about, but I can't help feeling a bit concerned…"
"I see… I'm sorry to hear that."
It seemed that Tsukasa was still feeling unwell. Rui started to doubt if it had been a good idea coming there.
On the other hand, Saki didn't fail to notice the discomfort in his brother's friend's face. She realized he was probably thinking he was being a bother, but that couldn't be furthest from the truth.
"But he should be out soon!" Saki assured, "So feel free to stay! If you don't mind, you can chat with me for the time being."
Rui was amazed, it almost seemed like Saki had read his mind.
What a caring girl, just like Tsukasa-kun.
In that regard, Tsukasa and Saki truly resemble each other.
"It would be my pleasure."
"Great!" She giggled.
She was glad to see that her brother was enjoying both his school life and his job, but most of all that he was able to make so many close friends. In the past years, she feared that because of her health problems, Tsukasa might have held back, too absorbed about her condition to make new friends, but obviously that was not the case anymore.
"Then, what brings you here?" She asked to strike a conversation.
She imagined the reason why Rui was there was because of Tsukasa's work. Her brother was supposed to participate as an extra for a wedding show, but he wasn't able to due to food poisoning.
"I wanted to let Tsukasa-kun know that the show has been a huge success."
"Yay! I'm glad everything went well!" Saki breathed a sigh of relief, "I was so worried when he kept insisting on going! He can be such a blockhead at times!"
"You should have seen him! He was basically crawling to the door!"
That morning had been really chaotic for her, not only trying desperately to find a substitute to calm Tsukasa down, but she had to pull him away from the door with all her strength, not once, but three times in total.
"Eheheh, I can totally imagine that."
After all, similar scenes had happened during their rehearsals, with Tsukasa keeping practicing by himself even during their break.
"And this is not the first time it happened!" Saki continued, "I know he has a strong sense of duty, but he should take better care of himself!"
Her lecture lasted for a few minutes, sharing even more stories about Tsukasa being Tsukasa.
"Ah!? I'm so sorry for my rumbling!!" She apologized when she realized she had been monopolizing the conversation.
"No, this is fun." Rui smiled gently, he was happy to hear more about Tsukasa.
Tsukasa-kun really is such an honest boy.
"I can see how much you care for your brother."
"Of course! He was always there for me when my health wasn't good, so I want to do the same when he is not feeling well!"
Sadly, their little chit-chat was suddenly cut short by a loud and complaining voice. There was only one person that voice could belong to.
"Don't believe her!!" Tsukasa came running from one of the rooms in the back.
"I definitely didn't spend the entire day in the bathroom!!" Or so he claimed.
"Are you calling me a liar?" Saki puffed her cheeks.
"No, no, I would never!!! I just… think you may have exaggerated a bit?"
"You are not very believable with that toilet paper stuck under your slipper." Saki pointed out.
"WHAT!?" Tsukasa shouted, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"That's what you get for calling me a liar."
"Grrr… I'm sorry…" Taking the piece of paper off his shoes, Tsukasa apologized to his sister.
He then went back to the bathroom so he could throw it away in the small trash can placed near the toilet.
"Eheheh, how clumsy of you~" At the same time, Rui was laughing at the scene he just witnessed. While a capable leader, Tsukasa could also be a little clumsy at times.
Soon after, Tsukasa returned to the living room, but his face was looking paler than before and his steps were unsteady.
"Brother? Is there something wrong?" Saki worried.
"It's nothing, don't—Argh…" Tsukasa curled over, an arm around his stomach.
"Brother!" She quickly ran towards him, catching him before he would collapse on the floor.
"Here, take a seat!" She helped him sit on the couch near Rui.
Seeing as the situation was serious enough and wanting Tsukasa to take a proper rest, Rui was ready to leave.
"Maybe it's–"
"Absolutely not!" They yelled in unison before Rui could even finish the sentence.
They already knew that if not stopped Rui would try to leave. They understood it was because Rui was such a considerate guy, but that consideration was unnecessary.
"I'm sure my brother is glad to have you here today, so there is no need to leave!" Saki affirmed.
"Well put Saki! I really want to know how the wedding went!" Tsukasa confirmed, "And don't worry, I am already feeling much better!!"
"I see, then thank you for having me." Rui bowed.
"Great, I will leave you too alone now!" Saki decided to retire to her room, until she remembered about the present Rui had given them, "Oh right! Rui-kun brought some ginger tea! It is said to be a great remedy for an upset stomach."
"Really!? What a magnificent present!" Just like Saki had previously said, Tsukasa was delighted to receive such a present.
"How about I prepare it for you two?" Saki suggested.
"Are you sure Saki? You don't have to!"
"I asked because I want to!!"
"Sakiiiiii!!! You are such a caring sister!!!!" Tsukasa sobbed, proud to have such a loving sister.
"Brother there is no need to make such a scene!!" She grumbled.
Usually she would be happy to be complimented by her brother, and all things considered, she was now too, but since there was a guest over she inevitably felt a bit embarrassed about it.
"Then I will get going!!"
She hurried toward the kitchen, before Tsukasa could rumble more and more about how amazing his sister was.
"It's unexpected for you to come visit me!" Tsukasa was the first to speak up after Saki left.
"You are right, in fact it was Len-kun's idea." Rui took out his phone from one of his pockets. As he turned it on, a small hologram came out from it.
"Hello Tsukasa!" Len greeted.
Now that Saki was in another room, as long as he was quiet about it he could finally talk with the other two boys too.
"I see, so that's how it is." Tsukasa nodded to himself, "But you could have sent me a message, I wouldn't have made you wait!"
"Oh, you are right, I… hadn't thought about that." Even Rui was surprised at how he could have forgotten about it, "I guess I was just too excited to visit a dear friend..."
*Ba-dum* *Ba-dum*
Tsukasa's heart skipped a bit.
Dear friend??? He wondered if he did hear correctly. There was no doubt they were friends, that much was obvious, but it was rare for Rui to say that so openly.
"I-I see…" The usually reliable troupe leader fumbled on his words.
If Rui hadn't been slightly blushing, Tsukasa would have thought it was one of his director's usual pranks.
"Hahahaha, just what can I do with you?" Tsukasa started laughing nervously to hide his embarrassment, "You can get really carried away when excited! Nonetheless I'm glad you came!"
"Fufufu, you know me so well~" Rui teased.
He couldn't believe he would admit how much he was looking forward to visiting Tsukasa just like that.
"Anyway, I should probably be thanking you for checking on Toya." Tsukasa quickly changed topics.
"There's no need to thank me, I had fun too." Rui was glad Tsukasa didn't question too much about what he had been saying.
"Same for me!!" Len seconded that.
"And actually it was a good thing I went."
After all, without him there, the bride would have canceled the little surprise show she had planned for her future husband.
"What do you mean?" Tsukasa urged.
"You see, the original director was involved in a car accident and couldn't attend the ceremony, so I ended up stepping in his stead." Rui began to recall the event that led up to his involvement in the wedding.
"You what??" Tsukasa shouted, "This is totally different from acting as an extra! This is an even bigger favor than I originally asked! "
"Don't worry about it, it has been a learning experience for me too. It's been a while since I worked with people outside our troupe."
Before Wonderlands × Showtime came into his life, he had given up involving other people in his productions, creating robots who could replace them. That was how the story of the lonely alchemist had started.
However, it was different now, he wasn't alone anymore, having found precious friends who could share his vision, and yet working with strangers still scared him. But no matter what, he was ready to overcome that fear in order to make a great show.
"Did everything really go smoothly?"
Tsukasa didn't mean to doubt Rui's ability as a director. He was the one who recruited him in the first place, but he also knew how easy it was to misunderstand him.
"Well I can't say there weren't any problems. I think I might have said a bit too much to one of the actors. So much so that he actually left."
A sight he was used to. Was it perhaps his demanding nature to push others away?
"What!?" Tsukasa's eyes widened, "I mean, I know you can be strict, but what did you even say for him to leave?"
"I think I may have hurt his pride."
Rui looked troubled. He didn't say anything but the truth: there are very few actors that can be considered geniuses, and while that guy may have been experienced, he surely wasn't one of those gifted people. Having said that, he could have probably phrased it more nicely.
"Well, don't take it to heart." Tsukasa tried to comfort him, "You are prone to misunderstandings, but anyone can see how much passion you put into your production. If he couldn't see that, then it was on him."
"Eheh, thank you Tsukasa-kun, but it's fine, it doesn't bother me too much." Rui reassured, "And in the end it didn't matter too much. Thanks to Aoyagi-kun, the show ran smoothly enough."
"He is a good kid, isn't he? I am grateful he could substitute for me, but I can't say I wasn't worried. He is an amazing singer, but not an actor."
"It was precisely because he is an amazing singer that I was able to realize the show I envisioned." Rui explained.
"But Aoyagi-kun was not the only one who helped me, Shinonome-kun did too." He added.
"Oh, Akito joined too?"
"Yes. For the flash mob, we needed someone who could teach the dance routine to the other actors in a short amount of time, and Shinonome-kun was perfect for that."
"Yeah, I remember how well he danced during the night show of our school cultural festival!" Tsukasa reminisced.
"Well, I guess I caused problems for him too. He made sure to remind me he was doing it for Aoyagi-kun and not for me."
"But he still helped you out, no? Unlike the previous actor, I'm sure Akito understood just how serious you were, probably like this:"
*Cough* Tsukasa cleared his throat: it was time for a little acting.
"I am Akito Shinonome!!! And my dream is to surpass that legendary night!! You might piss me off, but I understand your feelings!!"
"What a perfect imitation!!" Rui complimented.
Tsukasa really sounded just like him…. If Akito was talking with a megaphone that is.
*
As Rui continued recounting about the wedding, he noticed that Tsukasa was closing his eyes more frequently.
"Tsukasa-kun, are you tired?" He asked.
"No, no! I am wide awake!" Tsukasa replied, "Please continue!"
"If you say so…" Rui doubted that, but still carried on with his story like the star had asked, "Then as I was saying, thanks to Shiraishi-kun, we were able to let the passerby join in the fun too. She really knows how to hype up the crowd."
"Umh, umh!" Tsukasa nodded. He was clearly starting to doze off.
"And for the finale…"
"We used a cannon to make red rose petals rain all around the hall!!" Len completed the sentence.
"....Ummm…."
Unfortunately for him, Tsukasa didn't seem to have heard him, and for whatever reason was now leaning with his body more and more towards the table.
"Watch out!"
Luckily, Rui caught him before he could crash down on it.
"....Zzz zzz…"
Now in his arms, Rui could hear Tsukasa's loud snoring in his ear.
"Eheheh, I knew it, you must have been really tired."
He gently placed the sleeping star on one of the couch pillows.
"It's a pity he couldn't hear the last part of the story." Len sounded disappointed.
"Well, more than hearing about it, isn't it better if we show him?"
Anyone could imagine what that meant: Rui was already planning to put on an illegal show on school grounds.
"ZZZ-Zzzz-hngGGgg- zZZzzzZZ."
Tsukasa continued snoring, unaware of Rui's future plan.
"Oh my, what a loud snore!" The director commented. It was even louder than before, reaching the same decibel as a rock concert.
Even while sleeping you make such funny faces!
That was the perfect moment to snap a photo for his folder "Tsukasa strange poses and faces pt3", but him being a guest, it might have seemed rude. For now, he had to settle with just admiring his amusing face.
Busy appreciating the delicate features of his leader's face, Rui failed to notice that Saki remerged from the kitchen. Unlike him, Len saw the young girl approaching and quickly hid back into the phone.
"The tea is ready!" She announced.
But soon enough she noticed that her brother had fallen asleep.
"Ah! No wonder I heard a loud noise before!"
"He must have been really tired." Rui commented.
"I'm so sorry he fell asleep just like that." Saki apologized, "But I feel relieved that he was finally able to relax."
"Just… what should I do with these cups of tea now?"
That was a rhetorical question, she knew the only thing she could do was save his brother' share for later. She was just sad her brother couldn't taste it before falling asleep.
"Rui-kun, please feel free to try it! I made three cups of tea, one for each of us." She begged, not wanting to waste the other two cups.
"I will gladly take you up on your offer."
They both sipped their drink in silence, to ensure that Tsukasa could continue to sleep peacefully.
"It's really delicious." Rui whispered.
"Yes, yes!" Saki agreed with him, "Thank you again!"
"...ZzzzzZz…Thanks…..Zzz.."
As if he had heard them in his sleep, Tsukasa thanked him too.
"Eheheh, you are welcome." Rui fondly smiled at his dear troupe leader.
Ohh?? Saki thought she was witnessing a scene out of a romantic comedy. She almost felt like a third wheel.
If she squinted her eyes, she could see sparkles and roses around them.
No, no, this is just my imagination!! She tried to convince herself, not wanting to assume their relationship without further proof. That's why she would make sure to pester Tsukasa about it when he wakes up.
*
After he finished his drink, it was time for Rui to leave.
"I better leave now. It's getting pretty late too." Rui stood up, careful to not wake up Tsukasa.
"It's such a pity! But I understand, you must be tired too." Saki accompanied him to the door.
"Yes, it was a busy, but fun day."
"Next time, I would love if you could stay for dinner too!" Saki suggested, "You are one of my brother's dearest friends after all!"
"I…" Rui gasped.
Excluding Nene, it was the first time he was asked to stay at a friend's house for dinner. He was unsure if he could accept such an offer, when he still found it hard to invite his fellow colleagues to visit him. But then again, he couldn't refuse.
Dinner at Tenma's… It sounds like a fun experience!
"Sure, it would be my pleasure."
"Eheh, You don't know how happy it makes me to see Tsukasa surrounded by so many friends!" Saki chimed, "I can assure you, he looks much happier now compared to the past!"
Tsukasa would never complain when left alone during the times Saki's health worsened, but she was sure that just like her, in those moments he felt lonely. She knew that her brother would sometimes fake his smile to not make her worry, but now, he would always talk about how much fun he had each day. His smile really became worthy of a star.
"So, thank you for being his friend!" From the bottom of her heart, she was grateful to the people that could make Tsukasa smile as brightly as the sun.
"…"
Rui was speechless, never in his life did he imagine being thanked by someone for his friendship.
Ahh… So warm…
"No, I should be the one to thank him. If it wasn't for him, I would never be so close to realizing my dream."
To have friends that would spend their time responding to his directions with such honesty… It was something he was truly grateful for.
"I truly am blessed to have such an amazing leader."
Hearing that, Saki couldn't help but show a big smile. She completely understood what Rui meant, she felt the same way about her dear friends in Leo/Need.
"I see! I see!" She giggled.
"Well then Saki-kun, thank you again for your hospitality."
"No problemo!! Please visit us again! I will make sure my brother won't fall asleep next time!"
"Eheh, it's fine, I got to see a fascinating sight!"
Tsukasa's cute sleeping face was still impressed in his mind.
"Until next time, goodbye Saki-kun." Rui bid her farewell.
"Bye, bye!!" She waved back.
As he walked back home, Rui looked back at all the things that had happened that day: it was the first time he worked with people outside Wonderlands×Showtime and it was the first time he visited a friend that wasn't Nene in a long time.
"Rui-kun, you look so happy!" Free from the prying eyes, Len could once again pop out from Rui's phone.
"Eheheh, it was all thanks to your suggestion. Thank you Len-kun."
Len smiled back. He couldn't wait to tell the other Virtual Singer about all the events of that day.
Meanwhile Rui was looking forward to his next visit, but before that he needed to find the courage to invite Tsukasa and the rest of Wonderlands×Showtime to his place.Not only at school and at Wonder Stage, he wanted them to be part of his private life too.
Like a precious gem, he wanted to cherish his precious star forever.