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Did you know a worker bee's lifespan can be as short as three weeks? By those standards, Rinne did pretty well.
He got to live three entire years as a bee before he died.
A bittersweet consolation, but he clings to it anyway. Because the alternative is letting the stomach turning dread currently threatening to engulf him show on his face, and Rinne can't let that happen. The idol version of Rinne is a fun guy, a clown, a joke. He smiles like an idiot even though it hurts, because even in his final moments of life, idol Rinne feels like all he can do is keep up the act.
A sunny but brisk afternoon at a nondescript city bus stop — a liminal place where an infinite stretch of strangers have shared an infinite amount of farewells. Rows of rushing urban traffic blaze past like a constant reminder that time is still surging onwards as the trio of idols come to a stop beside the humble marker.
Correction, two idols and one dead bee walking.
Rinne is sporting his usual mischievous smile as if they're on a perfectly normal stroll through the city. On his right, Niki looks troubled. He has a scrunched expression like he's grappling with thoughts he still hasn't managed to sort out. On Rinne's left, Kohaku is glaring at nothing like he's royally pissed… but under closer inspection it looks like his eyes are getting a bit shiny too.
Well, fuck.
Rinne hates seeing the cute little guy cry, especially over him. So he tries to make it stop, “Oi. Don't tell me you're gonna cry over me leaving, Kohaku? You must be really upset! I never knew you cared about me like that! Kyahaha!”
His torment works, “O-Of course I'm not cryin! The pollen is just heavy today!” Kohaku fights to subdue the shine by rubbing fists over his eyes, “Quit cacklin you moron! Can't you be serious just this once?!”
“No?” Rinne smugly counters, “Besides, you should be celebrating right now! You never have to worry about getting dragged into one of my messes ever again! That's good news for you, right?”
“... Yeah.” Kohaku pouts, clearly uncomfortable to have the spotlight on his emotions, “Course it is… asshole.”
Good. Remember that after I'm gone. Remember all the trouble I caused for you and everyone else too. Don't waste tears over me, I'm not worth it. I'm just the asshole who made your lives harder.
Niki doesn't comment on their squabble. He's still lost in silent thought. Rinne isn't sure he's ever seen his best friend ponder anything other than a menu for this long. The awkward silence stews while both junior bees continue the battle with their feelings.
Rinne hates it. There's no reason for either of them to be sad. You guys don't need me anymore. You're gonna be fine. So don't you dare cry.
Rinne ran away from his home to become an idol, to feel the thrill of performance and the love of adoring fans. It was amazing. Idoling was even better than he dreamed, freedom and fun up to the very end.
But it became more than that too.
Rinne never imagined he'd find an idol family to show him a kind of love no fan ever could. Their unit had growing pains when it first formed, but his crazy bees needed him, and he needed them too, even if they all suck at admitting it. Sharing a unit with his three bee buddies was even more fun than the life of a solo idol. Thanks to a twist of fate that landed him in a unit with three other outcast insects, idol Rinne's life became way more of a home than home ever was — but Rinne knew it couldn't last forever.
He always knew he'd have to go back eventually. To say goodbye to this fun loving carefree form he was lucky enough to inhabit for a snapshot of his life and resurrect his father's heir in idol Rinne's place. Idol Rinne was always living on stolen time. Now it's run out.
It's time to go home.
Besides, there are plenty of people back home who do need him. But the bees don't. Not anymore.
Niki only ever became an idol because Rinne dragged him into it. He's a good sport, and he likes making people happy, so he was a good idol, but his passion has always lied with food. Now Niki will be free to dedicate the rest of his life to cooking. Rinne is sure he's gonna be an all star chef in no time, but he'll miss being Niki's most eager taste tester.
Kohaku is just getting started as an idol. Crazy:B was a chance for him to learn the ropes and watch how his seniors got stuff done. He's grown a ton, even if he is still a short little dude. Plenty of units are eager to snatch up an adorable rising star. Only one thing about his future is certain — Kohaku vehemently refused his cousin's offer to join Knights. But Rinne's sure he'll find a new place to shine.
Himeru still hasn't had his fill of idoling either. Rinne suspects he won't stop chasing stardom until the entire world knows the name HiMERU, or until something forces him to stop. All he wants is to make HiMERU as big as he can, and he's got the discipline and skill to be a forever idol, like that one Trickstar guy's dad. Rinne will be sure to tune in whenever he can to see how far Himeru has risen, even if his own ascent is coming to a stark halt.
But of course it hasn't slipped his notice that Himeru has not arrived to Rinne's formal send off. Which is a bit odd, considering the plan was discussed in the unit group chat and Himeru watches his notifications like a hawk.
But he must've had better things to do.
It's for the best, Rinne can hardly stand to look at the two strangely sullen bees who did show up to see him off. He awkwardly rubs his neck, “What are you two still standing around for, eh? Don't you have work to do? Go on, already.”
Kohaku ignores him, and shifts his challenging glare up, “Why do you have to go? I thought you liked it here with us. Can't you come up with some kinda scheme to stay? You always have a scheme up your sleeve!”
“... Not this time.” Rinne wishes he could, but he knew idol Rinne's time would run out eventually. When he first ran away he hadn't accounted for that fact hurting anyone other than him. Now he feels guilty and terrified about going home.
Which is just fucking awesome.
Niki finally exits his own thoughts to pat Kohaku's shoulder, “Don't worry, this isn't a forever goodbye. We'll visit Rinne whenever we can find the time. Remember that bus ride we took to the Amagi village? It wasn't too long, if we pack road trip snacks then the drive will fly by in no time. And we'll drag HiMERU with us whether he wants to go or not-!”
Rinne bursts Niki's bubble before it can get any more out of hand, “That's not gonna work.”
Niki shrinks, “... What?”
“You guys can't visit my home. If you go back to that place, I won't be there. We won't be able to see each other again after today.”
Niki's nerves fray into anxious eyed dread, “We can't even visit you? Why not?!”
“... It's complicated. But this is it. This is goodbye.” So let's get it over with already.
“Huh?! B-but-!” Kohaku rapidly spins back and forth between his seniors in disbelief, but he finds no reassurance from either of them. His resolve finally caves into a furious yowl, “But that's not fair!”
Rinne flinches. Kohaku is usually pretty mature for his age, the most mature of all of them in some ways, but now he's raving like a toddler mid tantrum.
“IT'S NOT FAIR!”
Sometimes it's easy to forget how young Kohaku really is. Rinne sweat drops, “C-come on, I thought you'd be happy to get rid of me-?”
His snark is silenced when Kohaku tackles him around the waist in a tight hug. The littlest bee's indignant shouts start to splinter, “I-It's not fair! First Madara-han leaves me behind, now you too?! Doesn't anybody care what I want…?! I don't want you to leave, Rinne-han.”
Oh.
Rinne doesn't have a comeback for that. He does all he can, and endures the hug while stiff to every extremity. His adorable little junior's shoulders are quaking, and he's muffling quiet noises against his tummy. Apparently Kohaku thinks crying doesn't count if it's not visible. Rinne doesn't have the heart to correct him.
A new voice interrupts them, “There you are, brother! Are you prepared to depart?”
That chipper greeting immediately parts the once bees clingy embrace. Kohaku scrambles to hide his feelings before the intruder can witness them and glares as if the newcomer is responsible for them. Hiiro just blinks his big innocent eyes as if perplexed why Kohaku is acting strange.
The smaller Amagi brother is smiling, unlike the three once bees awkwardly loitering around the bus stop. His eyes are a bit red, he probably cried during his own farewell with Alkaloid, but he's still smiling. Unlike his brother, Hiiro's smile isn't fake. He's an open book. Hiiro is gonna miss his friends, but he's still happy to be going home.
Rinne wishes he could relate.
“I'm almost ready, Hiiro. Just one more thing to do.”
Rinne turns to face the first friend he made in this strange other world after running away. The one who took him in, and saved him when he was the most lost he's ever been. The one who fed him and the other bees until they figured what family was really supposed to feel like. His best friend, and the one idol Rinne owes everything. Niki Shiina.
Rinne scuffs his foot on the pavement, “Sooooo… this is it, eh?”
Niki just stares unblinking at him, as if waiting for something to happen.
Rinne cocks a brow, “... What are you staring at me for?”
“I was half expecting you to get down on one knee and beg me to be your Queen.”
“Heh.” Rinne shakes his head, “Nah. I'd never do that to you. You'll be much happier here.” Safer, here.
“... So that's it? After dragging me around for years you're really just gonna,” Niki's eyes shimmer — and his voice cracks, “leave me behind?”
Oh no. Not you too. I can't take it-
“Sure am!” Rinne smugly plants his hands on his waist, “Don't worry, I've got plenty of energy for the journey home since I ate that whole cake you were chilling in the fridge before we left!”
Niki blinks, “... Wait, WHAT?!”
“Yup! I figured it made for a good going away present!”
“B-But I cooked you everything you asked for yesterday?!” Niki shakes away his sadness and jabs a pointer finger, “That cake was an order for a client! I spent a whole day making it from scratch…! And you didn't even save me a piece?!”
Rinne gives a thumbs up, “Well good news, it was delicious! My compliments to the chef.” He snickers to himself as Niki smacks his chest and whines about how awful he is. There's no trace of tears anymore. Mission accomplished.
Rinne gives Niki one more reason to hate him, because hating him hurts a heck of a lot less than loving him.
When Niki's rightful vengeance relents at last, Rinne gives a cursory glance to the surrounding urban sprawl, but he doesn't see a single azure head in sight. Himeru really must've had better things to do. That's fine, Rinne won't argue with one less agonizing exchange.
“Welp, I think that about does it.” He turns to his brother, “Oh hey look, Hiiro! I think our ride is here!” Rinne points past his juniors towards the stretching lanes of urban traffic.
“Huh?” Niki quirks.
“Where?” Kohaku spins around.
Kohaku and Niki follow his direction, but they don't see anything other than miscellaneous cars.
When they turn back around, Rinne and Hiiro are gone. Niki and Kohaku search around the humble bus stop, but there's no trace of their crazy king bee. The Amagi brothers vanished into thin air, never to be seen again.
---
Meanwhile — decidedly elsewhere, the last bee is languishing all alone.
The idol called HiMERU is hidden in the pitch black darkness of an enclosed closet. He's sitting on the floor with his knees pulled to his chest and his face hidden inside a cage of arms.
He is crying. The ‘perfect idol's’ breathy whimpers are the only audible sound in the dark and still closet.
This is why Himeru couldn't go to Rinne's send off. Ever since his leader's impending departure was announced, just contemplating it sparked an unwelcome prick behind Himeru's eyelids. This consequence was inevitable, but unwelcome, so it had to be contained.
Can you imagine? HiMERU making a fool out of himself crying in public? Over Rinne Amagi? What would the Shiina and Oukawa think of him? What if a stranger took a picture of him with a red face and disgusting snotty nose?! Such a flagrant display of emotion would be disastrous for HiMERU's mysterious image.
Himeru couldn't go to the send off, because he knew he couldn't contain this unacceptable reaction. It had to be contained. Here in this desolate and dark closet that devours all of his pitiful whimpers.
Besides, he doesn't know what he would say anyway. What could he say to the one who taught him how to feel happiness instead of just faking it? What is there to say to one of the three precious idiots who taught him about smiles and fun and family.
What is there to say? Himeru has no sufficient words. No matter how he tries to string speech together there is nothing that lessen the burden of this loss. He only has these useless tears.
Of all of the bees, Rinne excelled the most in teaching him how to smile. Creating situations so silly that even the stone faced Himeru couldn't contain the quirk in his lip. Wearing down his carefully built emotional barricades over years of casual co-existence. Learning what makes Himeru tick until that scheming menace could pilot his emotions with the ease of riding a bike.
Rinne taught him how to smile. Not a fake facial contortion to please cameras and fans, a true smile formed from fun and friendship. He was an expert at earning them by the end.
Now that he's gone, Himeru feels like he has nothing but despair left. He thought this despicable reaction would be over by now, but the tears just keep coming as he wallows in the dark and reflects on what he lost. The sadness feels inescapable.
Did Amagi take the happiness with him? Is this all that's left? Will I ever smile again-?
Just as Himeru is spiraling into that peak of patheticness — his closet door is thrown open. He scurries to wipe the blur from his eyes and identify the light shrouded silhouette that's intruded upon him in this despicable state. It's impossible to mistake the messy haired short statured form that has found him.
“O-Oukawa!” Himeru scrambles to his feet, trying but failing to hide his very compromised face. He must look horrendous, he's certain Kohaku will never respect again him after seeing him like this, “This isn't what it looks like-!”
Kohaku takes a couple steps into the closet, and lunges into a hug around Himeru's waist, “I'm gonna miss him too.”