The stage was on fire...well not literally. The Scandal girls were playing a live set in downtown Osaka. It was an encore. The crowd cheered as Haruna sung as loud as she could. Rina pounded her drums. Tomomi and Mami played their guitars. The crowd cheered as Mami went into a guitar solo on her Fender Squier. She finished and the Encore was over. The crowd cheered their loudest yet. Haruna held her finger up into the air. The lights faded and the girls were in darkness.
The girls laid down their instruments and exited the stage. Mami picked up a towel from the back of the stage and wiped the sweat off her face.
"Can I use that after you?" asked Tomomi.
Haruna looked at her.
"Why don't you use a clean one?" she asked. "That's going to be covered in Mami's sweat."
"That's okay," said Mami. "We share everything."
She handed Tomomi the towel. Tomomi caught it and began to wipe her face with it. Haruna watched her with a look of disapproval.
"You know that's really unhygeinic, right?" asked Haruna.
"Don't worry," replied Tomomi, "I'll take a shower when we get home."
"You going to share that too?" asked Haruna.
"Now, now Haruna," replied Rina. "Don't give them ideas."
Haruna chuckled...however Tomomi's face lit up with the idea.
The doors to large Van were open. Large boxes were being lifted into it. One of them men accidently dropped Tomomi's silver Fender Precision on the floor of the Van.
"Hey!" she cried. "That's my bass. Be careful."
The man nodded in understanding.
"Say sorry," said Mami.
"Pardon?" asked the man.
"You dropped her bass," she replied. "Now you must say sorry."
He looked at her.
"It's a guitar," he replied.
The girls gasped. To a musician, a guitar was like their child. They loved them, cared for them and when they cried; they would change its strings.
"How about we drop you on your head," said Mami. "See how much it hurts you."
The man looked terrified at this proposition.
"Okay," he said. "I'm sorry."
"There," replied Mami. "Didn't hurt did it?"
They turned to walk away.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he drops Mami's Pacifica now," whispered Haruna to Rina.
"Give it a minute," said Rina.
Sure enough there was another thud. The man had indeed dropped Mami's Pacifica. Mami shuddered in anger. Tomomi grabbed her arm and squeezed it in reassurance. Haruna slid 1,000 Yen into Rina's hand.
"Damn you!" she cursed. Rina giggled.
Their large Jaguar XFR was parked in the VIP parking at the back of the stadium. Haruna had the keys. She unlocked the doors. The lights flashed and the girls entered their car. Haruna was driving, it was a unanimous agreement as she was the most sensible. She started the engine.
Tomomi's stomach rumbled loudly. She giggled in embarassment.
"What's for dinner?" she asked.
The foursome sat around a small Japanese restaurant in downtown Osaka. They were the only customers. This is how they liked it, there were no fans clamouring over to them to get autographs or signatures. The chefs kept glancing at them. Only to have Tomomi smile or wave at them when she caught them. They all ate hungrily. It had been a long night.
"Okay," said Haruna. "Who gets the last dumpling?"
There was a small dumpling on the plate in the middle of the table.
"Rock, paper scissors?" suggested Rina.
They each made a fist.
"One, two, three," said Rina.
Rina pulled paper, both Haruna and Tomomi pulled Scissors but Mami pulled rock.
"Rina," said Mami. "You're out."
"One, two, three," said Haruna.
Haruna pulled rock. Tomomi and Mami both pulled scissors.
"Rock crushes scissors," said Rina.
Haruna beamed and chowed down the dumpling. Her mouth was very small, so it was a struggle for her to fit this huge dumpling in her small mouth.
She chewed it heartily.
"It's like watching the washing machine," joked Mami as Haruna chewed.
Haruna gave her the finger. The chef approached them. He placed a small slip of paper onto their table. He bowed at them and left them alone once more. Rina grabbed it and read the price. Mami's cellphone vibrated. She grabbed it and read the message.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I have to leave."
She got up and hurried out of the restaurant.
"Notice how Mami leaves everytime the bill arrives?" asked Rina.
Haruna chuckled. She pulled out a small pile of notes. Tomomi and Rina followed suit and placed them in a small pile in the centre of the table. The chef bowed at them as they left. They exited onto a dark city street. Tomomi looks around. Mami was nowhere to be seen.
"I wonder where Mami goes this late at night," said Tomomi.
"You know Mami," said Haruna. "She's very secretive."
"I thought you of all people would know that," said Rina. "You two are like a couple."
"Even a couple has secrets," replied Tomomi.
"A-HA!" squealed Rina. "So you ARE admitting it."
Tomomi shrugged off Rina's comment defensively.
"There's nothing to admit," said Tomomi. "I'm just making a point. Besides, Mami isn't my type. I like boys...cute boys."
"Yes," said Rina. "I'm sure you do."
Rina smiled to herself. She felt that she'd won a victory, even though no argument had taken place.
It was late at night. The apartment was quiet with a sleepy silence. The apartment was pitch black. There was a scraping in the lock at the front door. It opened and Mami entered the apartment. She was creeping to avoid waking anyone up. She crept across the apartment towards her bedroom. She opened the door and entered it quietly.
She switched on her light and screamed loudly. Her scream woke up Haruna and Rina.
"What is it?" cried Haruna.
"Nothing," said Mami. "Just a big..."
She saw Tomomi sitting on her bed with a disapproving look.
"...mouse. It was on my bed.," she replied. "But it's gone now."
"Mami is that you?" asked Rina sleepily. "When did you get home?"
"Just now," replied Mami.
"Oh okay," she replied. The apartment was silent once more.
Mami turned to Tomomi.
"Jesus Christ," she said. "You fucking stalker!"
"Good evening to you too," said Tomomi.
Mami closed her door.
"Where were you?" she asked. "I been waiting here all night."
"You didn't have to do that," spat Mami at her. She was tired and crabby, she didn't want someone giving her twenty questions.
"But I wanted to," said Tomomi. "I was worried where you went."
"I'm a big girl," said Mami. "You don't need to worry about me. Now go, off to bed."
Tomomi looked at her.
"You heard me," she said. "Go, quick like a bunny!"
She shooed Tomomi out of her bedroom. Tomomi followed her orders and left the bedroom.
"Good night Mamiatsu," she said affectionatly.
"Yes," said Mami. "Good night."
She waited for Tomomi to leave. The door closed. She listened carefully to Tomomi's footsteps. She heard them cross the hallway into Tomomi's bedroom. Her door opened and closed. With the Mami collapsed onto her bed.