leader
Sharp twigs and thorns poked at her from forearm to elbow, but Chisato wasn't one to bristle from such discomfort. Binoculars in her hands, she had all of the patience in the world, staying in the same squatting position since sunrise, focusing only on the country road ahead of her. In the idol world, one had to be cutthroat to get to the top, but they had to be clean about it as well. Patience was the key to success in most aspects of life.
Someone was approaching. Chisato lowered her stance, awaiting confirmation of her target. Thirty meters…twenty…ten. Upon seeing a long blue ponytail and a black tracksuit flash by her, she knew this was the one. She slowly stood up and stretched first, to avoid toppling forward after being in the same position for so long, and then walked at a brisk pace after the target.
It didn't take long. Years of practice kept her fit enough for a wide assortment of activities, and soon enough she walked side by side alongside her target. "Good morning, Sayo-chan," she greeted. "Lovely morning to have a jog, isn't it?"
It was amusing to analyze Sayo's actions, watching her pick up the pace ever-so-slightly. It was pretty common knowledge that the two girls did not get along that well. She picked up her own pace and smiled, not wanting to be outdone, either. "You're never much of a talker, are you? Ufufufu…"
"What do you want, Shirasagi-san? I'm trying to focus on my morning workout."
"I heard you've become privy to special information regarding Marmalade. In particular, you have special connections with their lead singer, Ayumi-chan. It's such a shame that the band is breaking up, isn't it?"
They abruptly stopped. Sayo lowered her sunglasses slightly and turned to her, glaring at her. Ah, yes, this was the classic Sayo treatment. It was amazing how she could blend in so well with the other members of Roselia. "How do you know this?" she snarled.
Chisato tilted her head. "Research. While I have been in the industry longer than most of you, it's sad to say I'm not really well-acquainted with Marmalade, other than by knowing their name and brand. Mostly our managers interact with each other every once in a while since we're under the same label. Small world." She sighed, shaking her head. "There's something very important that I must do for Aya-chan involving Ayumi-chan, and I believe you could lend me a hand. Hina-chan told me of how you were enamored by Marmalade's animal program a few years ago, yes?"
Sayo took a step back and scowled. "That band of yours is always a thorn in my side. Hina would blab our family bank account to the world if she knew it. But she's right. It was three years ago. We were in middle school then. Different people. You wouldn't understand how gentle the lions were with them when they were allowed to bury their fingers in their manes. It was the top-rated segment on television that week."
"Oh, I don't doubt it."
"Anyway, I can help. It wouldn't hurt my PR points, either. But-" Sayo tilted her head upwards, smirking, "-I'll be tagging along. I'd like to see Ayumi-san in her final days as an idol as well."
Chisato stirred the remains of her Earl Grey, half-tempted to kick Sayo's ankles "by accident". Judging by Sayo's pile of breadcrumbs on her own plate, it looked like she was in even a fouler mood than usual as well. Both were very punctual people, and Ayumi was twenty minutes late. It was rumored that she was notoriously bad with directions, but how could somebody become so lost in such a small town?
She pursed her lips to keep her smile in check as she thought of the idol getting so lost that she ended up by the cows on the opposite end of town. It was the right move as a small, white car parked not far from the café. A short brunette in a matching sunhat and sundress stumbled and almost fell facefirst into the pavement, were it for the fast hands of her assistant. Before there was too much commotion from onlookers, Sayo rushed to her side and put an arm around her shoulder, reluctantly rubbing the girl's back. A small gasp of relief escaped her. "Oh, thank you, Sayo-chan. I'm going through driving school but I still get so shaken up after each car ride…"
Chisato blankly stared at them as the two of them walked over, leaving the assistant to go inside of the café. She stood up and extended her hand, putting on her best smile. "Chisato Shirasagi, bassist of Pastel Palettes. It's nice to finally meet you, Ayumi-chan, ufufu."
Her hand was clasped by both of Ayumi's, stars replacing her normal eyes. "Chi-sa-to-chaaan, issho nice to finally meet youuuu," she blubbered, sniffling as she bowed slightly.
"You could afford a little dignity, Ayumi-san," Sayo replied, giving a small smile of her own.
"I know, I now. Sniff…I'm still practicing I…I just get so touched when fans meet with me."
"Oh, I'm not a fan. You're mistaken," Chisato said, deadpan.
If looks could kill, Chisato's body would be cleanly pierced by Sayo's glare as she wiped away Ayumi's tears and snot from her face with a handkerchief. The idol chuckled softly, waving a hand in the air while Sayo reprimanded her of acting like this in public, and Chisato couldn't help but feel a strong sense of familiarity. No wonder Aya was such a big fan of Ayumi and Marmalade. They resembled each other so closely they could be sisters.
It took a bit longer for things to calm down, but finally the three girls sat around the table, enjoying more tea and pastries provided by the assistant. After Ayumi took a small bite out of her macaron, she dabbed her mouth with a napkin and smiled. Chisato couldn't help but blush at how cute yet refined she looked. "I owe a lot to Sayo-chan for giving me the courage I needed three years ago," she said. "Our collaborative animal program was on the approval list for a second season, but Marmalade was close to pulling out after the first season finale.I…I didn't think people would be interested in us doing such a childish program.
"A week after our rumored cancellation, Sayo-chan burst in the show while filming, panting so hard from biking so quickly, and sat as close to the set as the producers would allow. Afterwards, she ran up to me and shouted that she'd never forgive me if I quit and didn't do a season two. Haha, and of course immediately I started crying and said I'd never quit without a good reason. I was so touched that I had fans who were invested in the show. After the show ended, I contacted her through letter, and we've been in touch ever since. Although…maybe you're not as cute and cuddly anymore, Sayo-chan."
Sayo lightly blushed, looking away. Not many people had this effect on her. "I-I never was. I keep telling you I was more interested in seeing the animals than you and your band," she quickly replied, crossing her arms. "Although…I did buy your second album when it dropped during the show. Marmalade has proven to be a very influential band, I must admit."
"Thank you, Sayo-chan. It means a lot." Ayumi turned to Chisato, her eyes twinkling. "And you, Chisato-chan? I'm very proud of how much progress Pastel Palettes has made. Your future looks so promising. What do you and Aya-chan think about being in the band?"
Chisato looked down at her teacup and chuckled. What a hard-hitting question. "I'm…still learning how to be compassionate. I'm very self-absorbed. When I had first joined Pastel Palettes, I had no intention of getting to know the other band members. When we had our lip-syncing scandal, I had no qualms of ditching them and dismissing my time with them as a short, mediocre stint.
"But then my entire resolve was shaken when I saw Aya working so diligently. At first, I only started practicing for real and put in work so I wouldn't fall behind such a talentless, mediocre crybaby. Next thing I know, we're practicing at her house most days after school whenever we were free. Aya's so similar to you, Ayumi-chan. She cries over everything and trips over everything and gets distracted by every cute text that Eve and Maya send her. But she works the hardest, interacts with the fans the most, and is our go-to whenever we feel down or discouraged. She's become such a symbol of the band. That's why it's so important for you two to meet."
She kept her head down, not wanting to look at the others in the eye. There was a long silence. Then, "Your band really is made up of idiots."
"Hmm?"
Sayo was out of her seat and walking away. Looking up, she saw that Ayumi was still smiling at her. She'd seen that expression on Aya's face countless times before, and it was always a playful one, almost one that was gently making fun of her. Ayumi took a sip of her tea and shut her eyes. "How could I say no to someone so determined? You seem to care about Aya-chan a lot. Please continue to support yourself and the others as you continue to grow together. You have your own kindness as well, Chisato-chan."
"You're not going to walk home with her?"
"You're not going to walk home with her?"
Chisato and Sayo stood side by side, arms crossed, watching Aya lean on Hina's shoulders as they left backstage. After Ayumi and the other members of Marmalade had left ahead of them, Aya was exhausted from the overstimulation and was under no condition to help clean up the venue. Hina had volunteered to help walk her home, so there was no chance for Chisato to intervene. She chuckled and smiled bitterly, leaning against the wall as Sayo followed suit. "It seems they're a better comfort for each other than we are, Shirasagi-san."
"Aren't we proud parents, Sayo-chan?"
"Hmph. I'm lending you the aid of Udagawa-san and Shirokane-san. They already know, so they're probably wandering around the stage before they come back here. You did lose two people from cleaning duty, after all."
"Ufufu, how generous of you."
"You really have a good leading presence, Shirasagi-san, you know that?"
Chisato looked upward, resisting the sudden urge to cry. There was Ayumi, who'd done so much for the idol community in general and had extended such kindness to her and Aya and the rest of Pastel Palettes. There was Aya, who'd come so far in uniting a bunch of cute girls together into becoming one of the most popular upcoming bands around town. And there was herself, who was still so far from catching up to them; she'd even fallen behind Sayo, who she'd considered to be an equal for such a long time.
She sniffled and bit her lip. How ridiculous.
"No. I'm not."