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Iori didn’t understand how Nanase-san could have ever thought to keep this a secret. Even if they were all blind and deaf, they would have figured out something was up with their centre. The others were beginning to suspect, and Iori had known the moment he’d listen to Nanase-san’s heartbeat and breath.
“Your vocals can become a weapon. And because of that…” Iori scolds him, after having been dragged down here for an attempted bribe to keep his peace. “Any problems that you have could become the worst of bombs for the group. In the worst case, it could cost us our careers.”
The boy in front of him is silent, looking away uncomfortably, processing Iori’s words.
He looks like he’s about to burst out with something as absurd as his declaration that he’d dance until he died.
That had taken Iori by surprise, just a little.
Even though he knows Nanase-san is dramatic, incredibly expressive, and way too open with his feelings…Iori had been a little scared by that look. He himself is committed to IDOLiSH7’s success, but the way Nanase-san had said that…
It sounded like something a lot more than just the need to surpass his twin brother, which is both comforting and concerning.
The next words from Nanase-san are spoken slowly and cautiously. “I know,” he says, articulating the words with a care that Iori had yet to see from Nanase-san. “I understand that. But…”
He pauses, then looks straight at Iori with the tiniest of breaths. “I want to do this with everyone,” he tells him, and there is something in his eyes that Iori knows goes beyond stubbornness and pride. “I want to be with everyone…I want to be with IDOLiSH7.”
Iori had wondered before if Nanase-san actually had a passion for being an idol. The rest of his groupmates, he could more or less tell where their motivation came from. But Nanase-san, with his striking vocals and conflicted adoration for his Kujo Tenn…
Where did you learn to sing like that? You can be born with talent and genius but that goes way beyond natural skill, Iori had thought when he’d first heard Nanase-san sing. And then he’d learned about Kujo-san and Nanase-san’s real motive behind becoming an idol.
Even though he knew he should have been more gentle, Iori is glad for his words, glad that he can see that Nanase-san’s passion and dedication to IDOLiSH7 comes from somewhere deeper than just wanting to get close to or surpass his brother.
But that didn’t change the fact that he was chronically ill.
“…Nanase-san…” Iori mutters, feeling his face shift imperceptibly to something more conflicted.
In front of him, Nanase-san’s dark red eyes almost flash scarlet against the glass of the vending machine. “And I promise that no matter how hard I cough, it won’t kill me,” their centre says to Iori—promises him.
It’s less the words but the bone-chilling conviction they’re said with that unsettle and confuse Iori. The tone and atmosphere feel just a little different than when Nanase-san had declared that he would dance even if he died from it.
“You don’t know that…and it might permanently damage your voice or lungs even if it doesn’t kill you,” Iori points out, neatly boxing up that conviction as something to dissect later. “Please don’t jinx this.”
Nanase-san is an easy man to read, especially compared to some of their other group members. But Iori supposes even something as happy-go-luck and naïve as their centre has their own secrets—clearly, given that none of them had any idea of his connection with TRIGGER’s centre. Right now, he can tell that Nanase-san wants to protest, but Iori doesn’t understand why he looks so…amused and resigned.
“All right…” Nanase-san laughs. “We should head back with everyone’s drinks, then.”
“…yes. That would be a good idea, but don’t think this conversation is over!”
Just what other things could their centre be hiding?
Rii-chan: My illness was found out about today
Chii-chan: Awww, I’m so sorry :(
Wait. Isn’t this a good thing? Now you’ll have your teammates to support you!
Rii-chan: …well, no. Just one of them found out, and he agreed to keep it a secret for now.
Chii-chan: Oh.
Rii-chan: Yeah. He’s afraid my lung condition will cause problems for our lives, especially because he really believes in me
Chii-chan: You sound happy about it, though?
Rii-chan: …well, I am. No one except you has believed in me this much before. I mean! Of course, they would cheer me on but…you know. It never felt like I could carry my own burdens, if you know what I mean.
Chii-chan: Yes, yes! :) You’re very easy to understand! You’re good with words, unlike a lot of people I know who say things that are too hard or weird to understand
Rii-chan: I wish I could tell him that it’s basically guaranteed that I won’t die from this, but…well, I guess it might be playing with fate.
Just because we were given back our lives doesn’t mean we know how long they’re last…
And thank you ^ ^
Chii-chan: That’s true. But I’m glad you have people that are concerned for you! I was worried when you told me you were going to be an idol because it’s pretty straining work. But I still believe in you! Just take care of yourself! Try your hardest and don’t get permanent lung damage!
Rii-chan: Thank you, Chii-chan!!!
By the way, how are things going in Yumenosaki?
Chii-chan: …let’s just say I’m glad I’m in my third year now.
Rii-chan: That bad??? How can things get worse?
Chii-chan: Oh! No! Things are okay! Kanata and I are trying to recruit some first years into RYUSEITAI. I know we’re all right on our own, but hero squads are stronger with more members than less!
Rii-chan: Yay! Go Ryusei Red and Ryusei Blue! I believe in you!
Chii-chan: Yay!! ^ ^
Anyway, I know it’s hypocritical of me to say but you should consider telling your group members about your illness. You guys are doing great and I’d hate for that to come up at a bad time.
Rii-chan: I’ll…think about it…
Chii-chan: Okay! :)
Good luck, Rii-chan! ^ ^
Rii-chan: Back at you, Chii-chan! ^ ^
Of course, Tenn knows theoretically that Riku is not the same person that he was five—or is It more like six?—years ago.
He knows that Riku has grown from the little brother of his that he’d endlessly spoiled and that his illness—somehow, despite the doctors saying it was impossible—has stabilised. He knows that Riku isn’t content to sit back anymore and watch, that Riku has this new drive in himself, that—whether Tenn wants to admit it or not—Riku does have what it takes to be an idol. If his win during Black or White didn’t prove it, then their argument back in the IDOLiSH7 dorms certainly had.
“Let’s split up! We’ll surround him from the other side!” Gaku tells the twins, effortlessly slipping into the leader role before vanishing with Mitsuki to surround “Zero.”
Riku had always been a little impulsive as a kid, but usually he would be good at stopping himself from acting upon those impulses. And Tenn, caught up in the moment, almost misses his surprise at Riku’s unhesitating “got it!” before catching himself and pulling his startled twin back.
“Don’t run!” Tenn almost demands, blood suddenly freezing at memories when Riku would strain himself even just a little and have to spend nights at the hospital for it. He doesn’t even realise that he’s gripping Riku’s arm like a handcuff holding back an inmate. “Especially not in a dusty place like this—”
“I-it’s okay!” Riku stammers around a cough. “We have to catch him—”
“No, it’s not!” Tenn interrupts, trying to shake off the adrenaline from chasing the so-called Zero and his warring emotions for Riku. “If you continue like this, then you’re going to get an attack—”
“Shut up!” Riku cuts in suddenly, a strange expression on his face that Tenn…
I don’t know what that means, Tenn understands within a millisecond. But the thought doesn’t have enough time to settle as Riku keeps going.
“You’re not my family anymore!”
And here, Tenn’s adrenaline has faded and his grip on Riku’s arm is nothing more than the touch of a ghost. The two stare at each other in a silent war of expressions.
“Rikkun, leave it to me!!” Tamaki’s cry suddenly slices through the tension as he rushes towards them and then down the stairs. “I’ll chase him!”
That startles the redhead into looking away. “Tamaki—!!”
“Tamaki-kun! It’s dangerous to act alone!!” Sogo yells after their youngest member almost at the same time.
“OH…I’ve already lost sight of him,” Nagi sighs, but he and Sogo keep running. “Tamaki’s so fast…”
Yamato and Iori suddenly stop next to them, a hard expression on the former’s face as he, too, slips into leader mode.
“All of us shouldn’t be chasing him,” he reasons. “Riku, watch the exits! I’ll got check it out first!”
“Ah…understood,” Riku stammers out, backing away.
“…so you’ll listen to other people,” Tenn mutters, thinking his brother can’t hear.
But Riku shoots back a glance that Tenn—in a tiny moment of relief—does know how to read. “It’s because you treat me like a child!” he retorts, obviously irritated and hurt.
Maybe it’s pettiness that makes Tenn leave while Riku is saying those words.
“Hey! Wait up!” Riku shouts after him, sounding even more irate.
But Tenn keeps walking, hurt and angry at himself for…
He doesn’t know why he’s so angry. For overreacting? Because Riku said he wasn’t family, acted like he didn’t have the right to be concerned when everything Tenn had done was…
The thought lingers dangerously near the front of his mind.
Then, a flash of red rushes past him.
“Riku!” Tenn shouts after him, his scrambled thoughts all gone once again from the panic of seeing his brother overwork himself.
He stops for a single second in surprise.
Has he ever seen Riku run like that? That…freely? The thought he had at the beginning of IDOLiSH7’s career nags at him again.
Just where did that kid who could barely go outside without toppling over find the strength to dance for hours? Tenn knows it’s hypocritical of him to ask when he’s given peak performances in lives when his condition was less than ideal, but exhaustion and a chronic lung condition were two different things.
But another, more pressing thought overtakes him.
Kujo-san…
Riku’s sudden athleticism will have to wait.
Chii-chan: I’ve survived the first two weeks of not going back to school!!!
Rii-chan: Yay!!
You’re finally an adult like me! How are you finding it?
Chii-chan: …………………really boring, actually. I want to do hero stuff. Stunt work, I mean. Though, today was a little interesting. I got locked in the infirmary with Anzu and forgot I could get out with our key card. Made my managers a bit mad when they saw the bruise in my nose…but everything else is just peachy!!
Rii-chan: That doesn’t sound that great, Chii-chan…
Chii-chan: Ah, well, what are you going to do about it? I’m a real idol now, and I don’t hate the deals and talks we make. I just…want a little more action, I guess.
Rii-chan: Yeah, don’t know if I relate considering what happened today.
Chii-chan: Ooooh, yes! I was actually going to congratulate you for performing with TRIGGER and Re:vale!
I can’t believe you guys aren’t even a year old and you’ve managed to land amongst some of the top performers. Not even Tenshouin has absorbed them into ES.
Rii-chan: …you know, sometimes I think it’s good that you don’t have much action. The way you talk about your higher ups makes them sound scarier than Manager after three consecutive all-nighters.
Chii-chan: Well, I can’t deny ES isn’t exactly normal, but it’s nothing weirder than the UG.
Rii-chan: …that’s not any better, Chii-chan.
But thank you for the congratulations! But that’s not really what I was talking about
Chii-chan: ??
Rii-chan: You know that guy who’s been claiming to be Zero?
Chii-chan: Yes. It caused a pretty big explosion here at ES amongst some of the older idols. I don’t know that much about Zero myself, but even I remember how he was the beginning of the industry receiving such a boom.
Wait, did justice manage to prevail and you caught that evildoer that must have been masquerading as a fallen hero of the past?
Rii-chan: hahaha, um…
No. Not exactly.
We chased him around but couldn’t catch him while Re:vale was performing their cover song
Chii-chan: Great job by the way! I’ve never seen Tenshouin look so excited! It was terrifying! :)
Rii-chan: Again…scary.
But I’ll pass along those congratulations!
Chii-chan: And again, congratulations for reaching stardom! ES and Yumenosaki are more involved with the SS Competition but BoW is amazing, too! And now you’re with top idols! And earning actual money!
Rii-chan: …I really am still worried for you, Chii-chan…
Chii-chan: Don’t worry about it :)
Rii-chan: That won’t make me stop worrying.
And…I don’t know. Somehow, I don’t feel all that great about everything. I mean, I had fun at the party and I was really hyped up on everything especially after we got a note from Zero approving Re:vale’s performance!
Chii-chan: You what?
Rii-chan: But I’ve been feeling down after the party’s ended and can’t go to sleep.
Chii-chan: Sleep is very important, even though I’m also awake at this hour. But what’s wrong? You know you can come to me for all your troubles, right? This hero will do his best to defeat any evil plaguing your life!
Rii-chan: Haha, you’re always so nice, Chii-chan. Sorry for bringing the mood down.
Chii-chan: Nothing ever gets my spirits down! Tell me all about your troubles!
Rii-chan: Oh…well, then…in short. I told Tenn-nii he wasn’t my family when he tried to stop me from running after the fake Zero.
Chii-chan: He was probably concerned for your health. Everyone is. Even I am! Though I do know you’ll be more or less fine.
Rii-chan: Yeah…I shouldn’t be so sensitive about it. I know that. It’s not like anyone knows I basically died and then came back to life, or that I was promised that my lung condition would never be the cause or part of the cause of my death.
Chii-chan: Hm… You can push yourself all you want. That’s free will, I guess. But it’s also good to be concerned about the people you’ll affect and how much they know.
Rii-chan: I should apologise…but it was Tenn-nii who told me I wasn’t family anymore first. But he was just worried about me, and I’m grateful, and was really relieved when he didn’t look mad during the party and spoke to me normally…and I don’t know what to think…
Chii-chan: …
*hug sticker*
*hug sticker*
Rii-chan: Sorry, I really must have brought down the mood.
Chii-chan: No, not really. Talking to you never puts me in a bad mood, anyway.
I didn’t know what to say except send you lots of hugging! And I was just…thinking that I think sometimes I miss the Underground.
Rii-chan: What?????
Chii-chan: I know! I wonder if that’s just me spiralling again. Maybe I’m just restless.
Rii-chan: …
No.
I understand, too.
It was a terrible place and we were fighting for our souls not to be erased but you could do so many cool things there
Chii-chan: And you could breathe properly.
Mitsuki really hadn’t expected Riku to be able to know how to fight.
Sure, his shockingly good acting and quick movements as he stole the keys from one of Kujo Tenn’s guards could hardly be called fighting, but it wasn’t the kind of quick thinking and reflexes he would have expected from someone so sheltered as a kid.
“Got the key!” Riku yells triumphantly, evading his attacker with surprising speed.
…well, he is an honest kid. Maybe I should have believed him when he said he could fight, Mitsuki briefly thinks. Or maybe it’s the dancing lessons?
As for Mitsuki, his body reacts instinctively to Riku’s movements.
“Riku! Duck!” he shouts, running up and tackling the man coming up behind Riku.
Despite the presence of a very conscious second guard, Riku pops back up with a smile. “Thanks, Mitsuki! I’ll go get the handcuffs off Tenn-nii!”
“OK!” Mitsuki agrees, confirming that while the guard he tackled is still very awake, he’s not getting up anytime soon. “Two-on-one is gonna be tough, so be quick!”
With a quick nod, Riku rushes to his brother and gets his handcuffs off. Mitsuki, rushing to land a blow before the guard can grab him or Tenn, can tell that the twins are exchanging words but barely registers it.
Or he doesn’t until a loud slap draws all of their attentions.
“…Tenn-nii?” Riku stammers, and Mitsuki’s attention is instantly drawn to Riku’s askew disguise glasses over a red mark on his cheek.
Kujo Tenn is breathing heavily, and the expression on his face reminds Mitsuki of that of a parent after their kid has almost gotten himself run over by a car—angry and terrified.
“How much do you think our parents suffered when you had an attack?!” Riku’s twin shouts at him, fingers curled up in a fist to hide the clear shaking. “Don’t mess around like that ever again!”
Mitsuki can understand Kujo Tenn’s feelings. He thinks he would have reacted similarly if Iori had done something like this…well, minus the slapping. But still, that’s their centre and if his protective streak over Riku wasn’t surging up, his fear for what Tsumugi would react seeing Riku’s face certainly was.
But Tenn doesn’t even give either of them a chance to respond, filling the second of silence with another panicked and angry, “Your answer?!”
Holding his cheek, Riku looks like a kicked puppy. “…I…I’m sorry,” he mutters.
The tension is so awkward that Mitsuki almost forgets the guards, but one of them has recovered from the surprise at the unexpected second fight to make another grab for Mitsuki.
“…sorry. It seems like I panicked there for a sec,” Mitsuki barely registers Kujo Tenn saying.
An amused if slightly wooden, “Tenn-nii can feel panic?” follows.
Boys, I’m concerned for whatever is going on, too, but we’re in the middle of something! Mitsuki tries to telepathically project at them, solely on defence now.
Instead, he just grunts, “Oi! This is hardly the time for a sibling squabble! We gotta get outta here, quick—”
The man makes a grab at him with a bellow. “Fucker!”
“Crap!” is Mitsuki’s last intelligent word as he freezes under the sudden assault…
…that never lands.
The suited man suddenly crumples to the ground.
“Who…” Mitsuki gapes, then spots a familiar blond head of hair. “…hit him just now?!” he trails off.
Speaking of people who could mysteriously fight despite nothing in their personality indicating that they should be feasibly able to…
“Hello, Mitsuki!” Nagi greets his friend with his usual dopey and overly cheerful grin. “Are you injured anywhere?”
Chii-chan: Hm…what do you do when the management you’re under is pressuring you to build your unit back to the original five with me as the leader and put all the first years that worked so hard to join in off-brand groups? And when you cave into that pressure at the insistence of your team but really just because you’re selfish?
Rii-chan: Woah, woah, woah, Chii-chan. Slow down.
What happened??
Chii-chan: Nothinnnnnnng…exactly…
Rii-chan: ????
Chii-chan: Basically, we’re one RYUSEITAI again. I’m happy about it, but I also feel like I’ve done something wrong. Especially against Tetora…
Rii-chan: Oh…
Chii-chan: I…don’t know what to think about all this stuff from ES, Rii-chan. These days, I’m starting to enjoy my stuntsman work more than being an idol and…I don’t know.
Rii-chan: But isn’t that what you wanted to be in the first place?
Chii-chan: Yes, but…
I took back leadership, essentially. From Tetora who had worked so hard to gain it, and I thought I wanted him to take the mantle from me eventually as well. In fact, I think I was secretly hoping that this would happen so I could focus more on my tokusatsu work. And yet, here I am, having taken the mantle of Ryusei Red anyway.
Rii-chan: Oh…wow.
Chii-chan: I know. I wouldn’t be able to speak as well.
Rii-chan: No. I’m sorry. It’s not you. Just some stuff has been going on and I don’t really know what’s real anymore.
What’s important is if you’re okay.
Chii-chan: Well. No. But I don’t really need advice. I think this is something me and my unit have to figure out, anyway.
What about you? Want to talk about it? Remember, Rii-chan!! I will always strive to be your hero! Just like you are mine! ^ ^
Rii-chan: Chii-chan…
Chii-chan: But I’m really curious. What happened?
Rii-chan: Ah, well…um.
Tenn-nii hit me today for saving him from his kidnappers by using the method where I acted like I was dying from coughing so I could get close and steal the keys to his handcuffs.
Chii-chan: Oh. That’s a bummer. :(
Is he okay?
Rii-chan: …your reaction is somewhat underwhelming, you know?
Chii-chan: Yes, my sense of reality truly is messed up after the UG and ES! ^ ^ I mean, Kanata and I had to kidnap two members of Crazy:B during the whole MDM thing last week! Actually, MDM happened around the same time ZOOL debuted, come think of it…
That was pretty shrewd of them…
Rii-chan: …well
He’s okay so I guess it doesn’t matter. But I thought about it some more and it must really be odd to the others that despite all my health problems, I can still dance and now fight.
Chii-chan: I don’t think it’s surprising at all! ^ ^
Rii-chan: Well, you’re the only one who knows about my special circumstances, so that’s a moot point
Anyway, saying that aloud made me feel better since we can’t exactly prove to the police right now that ZOOL kidnapped TRIGGER and basically orchestrated their fall. Do you want to talk some more about RYUSEITAI? From outside, it seems like you’re doing well!
Chii-chan: …not well enough for ES, unfortunately. And it’s…complicated trying to sort out the first years who probably feel betrayed and angry enough for an uprising.
Rii-chan: If it were anywhere but Yumenosaki, I would have said you were being dramatic
Chii-chan: Mhmm :)
But no matter what, we heroes need to rise up! Sometimes, there are conflicts within the team members, but…
Rii-chan: But they always rise to the challenge and resolve both their internal struggles and win against the villain! Don’t give up hope, Chiaki!
Chii-chan: Haha…you’re the only one asides from Kanata who tolerates my hero persona. It’s…nice.
Rii-chan: Of course! And you are a hero already. Just remember that you’re human, too!
Chii-chan: I don’t know if that’s something I want to hear from someone who keeps hinting at the fact that they have odd physical capabilities
Rii-chan: Hey!
Chii-chan: But at least they probably don’t know that you…
That you…
Rii-chan: That I?
Chii-chan: Sorry it’s hard to type.
Um…
That you can see
Ghosts
There
Rii-chan: Pft. I told you that they’re all very friendly! They can look a little creepy and bloody but they’re usually very kind and just want some peace before they move on! And the others already know I can see ghosts, though I don’t think Iori believes me much.
Chii-chan: Can we please not talk about this…
Wait what?
Rii-chan: It just…came out one day. But they didn’t have much of a reaction ^ ^
Chii-chan: Is there even a proper way to react to that???
It’s one of those slow days in the IDOLiSH7 dorm—one of the days where they’ve all received the same day off, ending with them chilling in the common room together.
Sogo and Iori are helping Mitsuki cook dinner, laughing together in the kitchen as Sogo and Mitsuki trade off their usual indie music vs idol music knowledge with Iori making the appropriate remark here and there. The others—Tamaki, Nagi, Riku, and Yamato himself—are seated around the couch watching…not MagiKokona for once, actually.
In a rare moment of generosity, Nagi had let Riku turn on a show he wanted. Yamato isn’t sure if it was a moment of generosity or their collective inability (except for Iori) to say no to Riku, but it was the reason they are all seated around the TV watching a tokusatsu marathon.
Fortunately, the three boys seem to be enjoying themselves, even though Nagi breaks in from time to time to make comparisons against his beloved MagiKokona. But even Yamato is impressed by the show—they just make anime different these days than when he was growing up.
What’s unusual, though, is Riku’s uncharacteristic attention to his phone. Yamato—not being too invested in the anime and wanting his dinner enough not to antagonise Mitsuki—has been casually noting Riku’s concentration equally split between the anime and whatever he’s typing on his phone. Maybe it made sense in hindsight, but Yamato had not been expecting Riku to be a fast typer.
When the episode ends with a commercial break, Yamato can’t help but ask, seeing how their centre is still fixated on texting furiously on his phone.
“What are you typing so passionately about, Riku?”
Riku jumps a little at the sudden attention, then glances back to meet everyone’s curious eyes, neutral expression transforming into a bright smile. “Oh! I’m just talking to the friend who recommended the show! They’re the one who got me into tokusatsu in the first place and were so excited to know I had an off day to watch the marathon of the show he’s been telling me about.”
That’s right…Riku has friends outside of IDOLiSH7.
Actually, when Yamato tries to think of it…none of them but Riku have friends outside of IDOLiHS7, do they? He remembers Sogo mentioning a friend he had in university and Mitsuki talking about a few friends here and there, though none that he keeps contact with on a regular basis. There’s also Tamaki who gets along with everyone and has the kids at the orphanage who really seem to rely on him. But in general, IDOLiSH7 does not have a strong track record of close friends outside their industry…and that’s not even mentioning their managers’ abysmal lack of connections to the real world.
“OH! How wonderful!” Nagi exclaims, throwing up a pillow with the exclamation. “To be able to forge a bond of friendship through the power of anime is one of the most joyous luxuries of life!”
Riku leans back at the couch towards Nagi, setting down his phone and grinning. “Ah! Actually, I got to know them before I knew they liked tokusatsu!”
“Oh, how long have you known them?” Yamato asks without a thought but casually invested.
“Hm…let me think.” Riku frowns a little in thought. “They’re a year younger than me but they hadn’t had their birthday…I’d just turned 16 and they were still 14, so…coming up on five years! Wow, that surprised me!”
“Oooh…were they a friend at school that you never lost touch with?? OH! Or is it a beautiful student that you have unrequited feelings for?” Nagi presses, eyes shining at Riku’s information.
“You’re too invested in this, Nagi,” Yamato teases slightly.
Nagi throws Yamato the slightest of reproachful looks. “But of course, Yamato. I am still learning the intricacies and beauty of friendships or…” He gives Riku a sly grin. “Perhaps this is a tale about love?”
His response is simply a good natured laugh from Riku, the kind that always warms their heart. They can’t help that hearth-like feeling with the way it’s full of such sincere affection for them.
“No, no. There’s nothing going on between us,” Riku laughs, then shakes his head. “We met in Shibuya and…actually we haven’t met up since then, except for one time, even though they also live in Tokyo now. But they mean a lot to me…I guess it’s because you could say they saved my life.”
Yamato and Nagi exchange a glance at the odd addition, but Tamaki is the one who voices what they all want to ask. “How did he save your life? And why don’t you meet up?”
“Hm? Oh.” Riku gives a sort of regretful smile. “Well, we’re both suuuuper busy all the time, first with school, then with work, so there’s never really a chance to meet up. Though—oh! Maybe now that we’re both established, we could do a…”
He trails off, his eyes twinkling with…something.
The others wait in silence, save for the sound of commercials still playing, for Riku to continue.
It doesn’t come.
“Hey, Riku—” Yamato attempts, kind of curious what could make their centre make that sort of expression.
“SILENCE! The show is back on!” Nagi cuts in suddenly, ever the police of intense anime watching.
Okay, then…commercial break is over.
Ha…I guess we’re back to the show, Yamato thinks. I could really use a beer. Or maybe dinner. Or both.
Glancing sideways, he idly watches Riku engage with his phone again and realises that Riku never really did answer how his mysterious friend saved his life.
Rii-chan: Chii-chan!
Chii-chan!
Chiiiiii-chan!
Chiakiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
Chii-chan: Yes!
I’m here!
Sorry. I was busy all day and then was catching up on all your thoughts about the show, so I didn’t see that until now!
Is anything the matter? Is someone’s life in danger?
Rii-chan: No, no, sorry!
It’s nothing as dire as that!
I was just thinking…
Do you think RYUSEITAI would be interesting in doing a collaboration with IDOLiSH7?
Nothing’s sorted out yet!
And I haven’t even mentioned it to Manager.
But…if it was possible…
Chii-chan: …
…
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rii-chan: Right???
To be honest, though, I’m not sure how things would work out. People do know that I like hero things but I don’t know if that’s enough to justify a collab unit with you…
Chii-chan: Oh, it definitely will be. If I tell this to Tenshouin, he’ll jump at the offer, no problem…I think.
Actually, that guy is unpredictable, so never mind. But he IS a big fan of the Compass idol groups.
Rii-chan: Still can’t get used to the fact that a guy your age is so powerful…
And wait, what do you mean Compass idol groups?
Chii-chan: Haha! That’s what we at ES call you and three other idol groups. But never mind that…I’ll see what I can do.
Maybe we could do a collaboration for a talk show or something.
Rii-chan: Honestly, if possible, I’d love to do a collaboration on a song
Chii-chan: It doesn’t have to be our units, though, I think? ES is a little weird with their idols but it does have a shuffle unit system, so maybe we could work something out for that?
Rii-chan: Wow, you are super serious when discussing work! I’m so impressed! The professionalism is so cool!
Chii-chan: ^ ^ Thank you! I have had a lot of practice! :)
But what do you think?
Rii-chan: I think a variety show or talk show would be a great idea for a collab. It might be hard because I think that President Takanashi and Manager don’t like ES that much, but it would never hurt to forge a connection, right?
Chii-chan: Of course not. StarPro, at least, would love that. In any case, let’s try drawing up a proposal!
Rii-chan: …yeah, that sounds like it’ll be hard. Iori’s way better at that…
Chii-chan: Not to worry! I know how to draw up proposals professionally, and I can always ask Anzu for help.
Rii-chan: …is Anzu-kun still the manager of all 51 idols?
Chii-chan: Hm…a little, yes? ES doesn’t want to monopolize her talents for only one group, so she does work for everyone beyond the students, though everyone knows her main interest is with Trickstar.
Rii-chan: …I suddenly feel so bad for Anzu-kun.
And here I thought our manager was overworked.
Chii-chan: Anzu seems to like it, to be honest. It concerns us—especially those who went to school with her—quite a bit. Except for Tenshouin.
Rii-chan: Always him…I can see why our president doesn’t like the Tenshouin conglomerate much. They really are trying to monopolise the industry, aren’t they?
Chii-chan: Yes, they are! ^ ^
But enough about them!
We can set up a video call next time we’re both free and run this over…in the mean time, I’ll send you a quick proposal you can share with your managers before we make more definite plans.
Rii-chan: Wahhh, let me help as well! I can’t let you do everything when it was my idea. And you’re overworked enough already!
Chii-chan: It’s all right! After that whole thing with Tetora almost dying undercover, RYUSEITAI’s bounced back stronger than ever. I’m still the official leader, but Tetora is starting to take my mantle in his own way and as Ryusei Black
Rii-chan: I still think you bounced back a little too quickly from that…
But I’m glad! That was really scary!
Chii-chan: It still wasn’t as bad as what happened in the UG, though…
Rii-chan: It’s still pretty bad!
Chii-chan: But it’s in the past!
Right now, aren’t you excited at the possibility of collaborating?
Rii-chan: I can’t believe it…I really do want us to meet up. ^ ^
We haven’t had a chance to since I graduated high school and went to visit you!
Chii-chan: I can’t believe it’s been so long…but we do video call often!
Rii-chan: Mhmm! Let’s do our best to make this happen, Chii-chan!!
Chii-chan: Yes, let’s! ^ ^
“I still can’t believe you forgot to mention this tokasatsu loving friend of yours was Morisawa Chiaki of RYUSEITAI,” Mitsuki teases Riku, lightly punching him in the arm.
Riku rubs his arm, more out of show than any actual pain, and laughs. “Well, we’ve known each other before we became idols, so that seemed a little irrelevant to our friendship.”
“No, no! Riku! How could you say something like that?” Nagi bemoans, shaking his head. “A friendship built off of death-defying stakes, a love for the same anime, and a shared career path! How could that be irrelevant?”
“What do you mean death-defying stakes?” Tenn acidly butts in, his sharp eyes landing on Nagi, who flinches back without actually looking scared.
The seven members of IDOLiSH7, their managers—and Re:vale, ZOOL, and TRIGGER—are walking across the green to meet up with the core members of RYUSEITAI.
In the end, with strings pulled from both StarPro (Tenshouin) and their groups members, it was decided to simply hold a giant outdoors joint live with eight idol groups performing.
And of course, when Re:vale had heard about this collaboration with ES, they hadn’t hesitated to get the other two groups involved. As for the other three asides from RYUSEITAI, apparently, one young idol group from each of the big ES production companies would be performing.
Sogo looked just about ready to die when he’d seen that CosPro’s Eden, NewDi’s Knights, and Rhythm Link’s UNDEAD would be singing alongside them.
That had been a whole mess—the switch from collaboration to live.
Riku had just barely managed to keep up with (and keep quiet about) all the behind the scenes drama going on with ES during the initial planning stage. According to Chiaki, Tenshouin’s fine had attempted to replace RYUSEITAI for this collaboration, sparking an all-out war within the ES production companies on who would perform. Fortunately, RYUSEITAI had won simply by virtue of President Takanashi putting his foot down about honouring their agreement with the original group. RYUSEITAI had also received the second largest amount of votes in their concert battle, so fine had “graciously” stepped down.
Just remembering those text messages gives Riku a headache. Especially when he heard some stuff about idol assassins and bribery…
Honestly, he was just happy to be here, with this lively atmosphere and the not-quite spring but still nice weather around him.
“Rik—Nanase-san. You still haven’t answered me,” Riku hears Tenn lightly pressure.
“Wow…lighten up on the overprotectiveness, Tenn,” Gaku sighs. “The audience might not be here yet but we’re still in public.”
It’s around then that Riku spots a familiar head of brown hair coupled with a bright red shirt.
He doesn’t even think before taking off in a sprint.
“CHII-CHAN!!!” Riku shouts.
“Chii-chan…?” he thinks he hears Iori whisper, along with Tenn shouting, “Don’t RUN—”
But it’s too late for them.
Riku’s lungs have never felt clearer as he sprints towards his old partner, who has already turned to receive the slightly shorter centre into a hug, then lift him up and spin him.
“RII-CHAN!” Chiaki shouts back with equal enthusiasm. “You’re here!! How are you! Wait, did you just run? Who cares! How are you!?!?!”
“…did I just hear Morisawa-senpai actually call someone by a cutesy nickname? That’s a little repulsive…”
“I know…even I got the shivers hearing that.”
“Chiaki hasn’t even referred to me with such Affection. i feel a little Jealous…”
The two men untangle themselves from the enthusiastic hug and turn to the owners of those voices. It’s then that Riku notices a few stares directed their way, from some of the stage hands, yes, but mostly from the four boys with colourful hair or hairstyles behind Chiaki. He knows them instantly as the other RYUSEITAI members, both from official profiles and the pictures Chiaki had spammed him with since he’d acquired them.
He’s most familiar with Shinkai Kanata, whose dreamy expression puts Riku a little on edge. Especially given the stuff he’d heard about him when Chiaki’d met him in his first year of Yumenosaki. He knows their relationship has changed, though, almost to the point where they’re now like life and death partners.
Riku can’t help but feel a little lonely at the thought. Even though he and Chiaki had stayed friends for so long after their week dead, after experiencing something that had changed them both forever, they’d still changed even further and found other people to love and be loved by.
But…
He bows to the other members. “Hello, RYUSEITAI! Nice to meet you,” he greets them politely. “I’m Nanase Riku and coming here”—he points at the other groups as well as his own walking across the green to them at a steady pace—“is my group IDOLiSH7, along with Re:vale, TRIGGER, and ZOOL. I look forward to working with you!”
They introduce themselves in turn when the others have arrived to where he and Chiaki are, and from then on, it’s a stream of introductions and a series of “yoroshiku onegaishimasu” that leave Riku lightheaded with a strange joy seeing his two worlds shake hands.
After that is over, Tamaki throws out the expected question.
“Rikkun, you still haven’t told us how you and Chiakun met,” he prompts, with an off-hand tone but an expectant stare Riku feels like he can’t refuse.
Riku and Chiaki exchange a short glance, both of them knowing they can’t share what they’ve been through together. Yes, Chiaki could lie, but Chiaki has said Kanata is very good at seeing past his masks. And Riku knows he’s hopeless when it comes to deception (especially with Iori and Tenn present).
“But I did?” Riku decides to say, holding a smile that doesn’t feel forced, even if it looks a bit confused. “Chii-cha—Chiaki and I met in the summer in Shibuya when I was sixteen.”
“You went to Shibuya, Nanase-san?” Tenn asks, curious. Riku notices from his peripheral Chiaki's eyes widening as he recognises the speaker. “What for?”
“My parents just wanted to visit,” Riku says, hoping Tenn didn’t notice Chiaki’s reaction. To his credit, he had told Chiaki about the…complicated relationship he had with his twin brother, so he knew Chiaki would keep his mouth shut.
“What happened there that was so death-defying?” Tenn presses, in the sweet way that convinces Riku his brother is probably just concerned about him.
“Huh? No. I just said he saved my life,” Riku tries to laugh off, wondering why he was so bad at keeping secrets.
He feels a friendly nudge at his side. “To be fair, I think you save my life more than I saved yours,” Chiaki exclaims happily. “I could have never gone through Shibuya without you.”
“There you go again, Taicho-dono…making mountains out of molehills again,” the small one called Shinobu sighs. “I thought something really bad had happened to you two!”
“Well, we did wake up in hospital beds next to each other once!” Chiaki blithely replies, to most of Riku’s sides’, “WHAT?!?”
Before any of them can press that further, Riku interrupts. “Yep! I had an attack that took me out, and Chiaki was there to help me through it. Of course, at that point I didn’t know he was also prone to sickness and we…sort of ended up room neighbours until the hospital released us.”
It’s still pretty amazing to Riku how Chiaki can keep beaming as if they hadn’t had a close shave. Perhaps that’s what Yumenosaki did to you.
“Your illness has improved loads since then, though, Rii-chan! As has mine!” Chiaki says, throwing an arm around Riku. “And then we became idols almost at the same time!”
“You were working for it longer than I have…”
“You introduced it to me!”
“Wow…is this the power of a childhood friend?” Nagi whispers, watching them in awe. “Such…comfort and camaraderie.”
“I’d like to think we have that sort of comfort and camaraderie, though!” Riku tells Nagi, eyes wide and feeling a little sorry. “Don’t we, Nagi?”
“Oh! Of course we do, Riku!” Nagi follows that declaration by throwing his arms around both Riku and Chiaki.
From inside Nagi’s arms, Riku can make out someone—he thinks it’s Tetora—whispering, “Is it just me or does the tall blond one sound a lot like Hibiki-senpai?”
“All right, all right,” Yamato finally breaks in. “I think we should let these two catch up. We still have some time before the lives, after all.”
“Yes, agreed. In the meantime, we should go and greet the other idol units performing,” Iori is quick to say, followed by Tsumugi’s agreement.
“Aw…I wanted to try some of the food stalls,” Tamaki sighs as they all begin walking to the other stages.
“Don’t worry, Tamarin! Momo-kun here will make sure you get all the food you want!”
“Wahhh…Momorin is so nice…”
“we should also go, Children,” Chiaki’s idol unit partner Kanata decides, ambling happily to the large group of idols. “have fun catching up with your friend, Chiaki!” Kanata salutes.
“And it was very nice meeting you, since none of our senpai will say it,” Tetora hurriedly bows, then straightens up, then bows again with an added, “By the way, Nanase-san. I’m a big fan! Thank you for all you do!”
The other two juniors repeat more or less the same sentiments, leaving Riku a little bit speechless.
It’s easy enough to smile and give his signature shy thanks at fans, but it’s another to see a well-known fellow idol express so much appreciation.
I’ve really come far, haven’t I? Riku thinks, feeling his mouth curve slightly upwards.
He turns to say something to Chiaki, but is stopped by the sudden drop of Chiaki’s usual cheerful mask into something more…apprehensive.
“Wh-what’s wrong, Chii-chan?”
“Sorry…but Rii-chan. I have to ask. Are there any ghosts here?” Chiaki stutters, edging closer to Riku and glancing around. “Someone told me this place was haunted and…I’m scared…”
Riku blinks, then stares at his friend.
He’s already laughing before he notices it.
“H-hey! I’m serious about this!”
“I know! I know!” Riku assures him, separating themselves a bit and looking into his friend’s face with a fond smile. “It was just…a little nostalgic, right? And”—he makes a show of looking around—“there’s no ghosts. No Reapers. No game, either. We’re alive, Chiaki. I have my memories of Tenn and you have your dream safe and sound…we’re alive and we’re singing.”
Chiaki breathes a sigh of too-obvious relief, though he returns that smile with his usual grin, bursting with stars and a brightness not even death could kill.
“Yeah, I guess we are.”