" Jun Jun desu."
" Lin Lin desu."
" Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.", the image of the two bowing to the other members is printed in Yoshi's mind since the day she met the Chinese girls. How could she forget, since all the members keep talking about them. And not in the good way.
" Their voices are too high pitched. Especially the taller one, who? Chun Li?", said Risa.
" It's Jun Jun.", Yoshi corrected.
" Whatever.", Risa smirked.
" Agree. I knew from the start they introduced themselves.", Reina said her opinion.
" And when we practice together, they really slow at adapting.", Shige joined in.
" It's not like they could help it. Their Chinese, so their voices are strange.", Kame replied.
Jun Jun and Lin Lin have not even joined yet, but the girls were talking like they destroying the unit. What is the matter with these girls? Yoshi knew that this kind of argument would show up someday and she, as a leader, had to find a way to make the two newbies feel comfortable, which obviously hard to do since they can't even communicate without a translator present. But the bigger problem is their senpais. Everybody seems all nice and friendly whenever Jun Jun and Lin Lin around, but when they're gone, they showering Yoshi with harsh comment about them. Except one girl, Miki. Whose Yoshi came for salvation.
" Again?", asked Miki.
" Yeah. Everytime everybody was hanging out in one room, the subject is unevitable.", Yoshi pressed her forehead to Miki's shoulder.
" Well, that's not surprising.", Miki tilt her head, thinking.
" But when Koha or Micchi joined, they were alright with it.", Yoshi sighed.
" Maybe the Chinese factor."
" Oh, don't tell me I'm dealing with racism."
" No, I mean…. Maybe they care about Momusu so much that they worried."
" About what?"
" About how the fans would react."
Yoshi pulled her head and looked at Miki's face. She maybe got a point.
" The fans reaction?", Yoshi's trying to put her mind into it.
" Yes. Some people, as far as I know, looks at Momusu as… a Japanese girls idol. So with Jun Jun and Lin Lin, we're no longer have the title.", Miki explained.
" Do you really think so?"
" Kinda. But it'll work out eventually, as time goes by."
" Okay. Just say you're right. What am I going to do about the girls?"
" If I were you, which will happen in no time, I'll stay put. Damn, why'd you have to graduate so fast?"
" Stay put as in not doing anything? Graduate so fast? I've been here for seven years."
" Yes. And let time decides."
Yoshi pressed her forehead on Miki's shoulder again.
" So… what's new with you?", Yoshi asked.
" Me? Not much. Stayed at Ayaya's for a couple of nights lately.", Miki leaned her cheek on Yoshi's head.
" Ayaya huh?"
" We're just BEST FRIEND. Get over it. She's alone in her house, that girl."
" Still. I don't like picturing you taking a bath together."
Miki laughed, " Then don't picture it."
" You haven't taken a bath together with me."
Miki pushed Yoshi's head away and look straight to her eyes, " Wow. You do like me that much."
" I was hoping for a vice versa.", Yoshi sulked.
" I do too, Otou-san.", Miki smiled.
" So, everybody knows the choreo, right?", Yoshi tightened her shoe laces.
In the rehearsal room, the members of Morning Musume stood in front of a huge mirror, practicing their dance.
" Still kinda rigid on the last turn, though.", Ai made a few turn moves and looked at herself in the mirror.
" Is it supposed to be right first or left?", Shige asked.
" Left.", Ai answered.
" Really? I feel it more like a right.", Shige tilt her head.
Aika did some stretching with Koharu on the other side of the room.
" So, what do you think of the 'Two'?", asked Aika.
" I don't despise them, but their voices are indeed a lil' bit distracting.". Koha replied.
" I think their voices are good but… I just can't stand being around them too long."
" Why?"
" Because they usually talks to each other and only God knows what they're talking about."
There were knocks on the door and a traslator and Jun Jun and Lin Lin entered with a smile. Behind them, Tsunku-san walked in with chin raised as high as ever.
" Minna-san, ohayou gozaimasu.", said Tsunku-san.
Everyone replied.
" Today, Jun Jun and Lin Lin will join you in dance training. Is that okay?"
Everybody looked like they choked or something.
" Ye—yes, of course. We were just given a new choreo yesterday.", Yoshi said something to fill the awkward silent.
" Great. Then, Jun Jun, Lin Lin, I will take my leave.", Tsunku gave a small bow before he leaved the room.
The translator sat in at the corner, watched a weird atmosphere in the room.
" Okay, so everyone. We'll do it without music first. We're start from….", Yoshi clapped her hand rythmically.
Everyone started dancing. Step one, hand, turn left and a little wave. Jun Jun, who did not know any of the choreo, stumbled and bumped Risa.
" A, gomen nasai.", Jun Jun apologies with a deep bow.
Risa nodded.
The clapping went faster. Everyone started to dance faster, matching their moves to the clapping ryhtm. Lin Lin couldn't keep up and started panicking. She did a failed turn and fell over at Ai's feet. Ai jumped to dodge Lin Lin but ended up falling too. Miki quickly catched Ai before her nose meet the wooden floor.
" You okay?", asked Miki.
" Yes. Thank you.", Ai tried to stand but her feet lost it's strength.
" Whoa, careful.", Miki, once again, saved Ai from falling.
Ai looked at her ankle, " I think I twisted my ankle."
" What?", Risa moved closer.
" I think I twisted my ankle.", Ai repeated.
" I heard what you said.", Risa turned her back and walked toward the door, " I need some air.", Risa leaved the room.
Lin Lin hurriedly moved in front of Ai and bowed as deeply as she could.
" Gomen nasai. Honto ni gomen nasai.", Lin Lin voices sounded a little bit shaky.
" It's fine.", Ai smiled.
But Lin Lin did not raise her head, she kept bowing. Her small body trembled.
" Lin Lin?", Yoshi lower her head, trying to see Lin Lin's eyes.
" She's crying.", said Miki.
" What? Why?", Yoshi confused.
" You ask me why?", said Miki.
" It's fine, really. Lin Lin. Don't cry.", Ai tried to comfort Lin Lin.
" Yeah, it's fine. Ai tripped every time. Even when she's walking. Don't worry.", said Yoshi.
" What was that suppose to mean?", Ai asked with her eyes narrowed.
The translator who was sitting, came to the crime scene and translated what just Yoshi said. Lin Lin kept quite and still held her body down. Jun Jun stood silent as she watched her friend cried.
" She's just a kid. Come on. Even you made a mistake when you first came.", said Yoshi to Risa.
" I know, I know. But… this was different.", said Risa.
" How's different?"
" Well, she's… first of all, she's not one of us."
" She will become one of us."
" That's not what I mean."
" Then what do you mean?"
" We'll have a concert soon, and Ai-chan hurt her ankle."
" What's that have to do with not-one-of-us conversation?"
" Nothing…."
Both of them said nothing.
" I'm worried that if they're really joined, then… what would people says?", Risa looked at Yoshi with concerned eyes.
Damn, Miki was right. Everybody was thinking about the fans.
" Well, at first, maybe somethings that not very nice to hear.", Yoshi replied.
" See.", Risa pointed.
" Maybe. But in the end, we are what we are. We sell our songs. Right? People will get used to it. Even if it takes time."
Risa said nothing.
" Listen. This concert will be my last. And I don't wanna leave you all like this. I don't want to be a failed leader.", Yoshi gazed at nothing.
" You're a great leader, Yoshizawa-san."
" No. Not like this."
" It's not your fault. It's Tsunku's.", Risa walked away.
Yoshi looked at her kouhai's back.
Miki was just finished her nice warm night bath when she got a call from Yoshi.
" You haven't sleep yet? It's late.", said Miki answering the call.
No answer.
" Yocchan?", Miki asked.
" Can I sleep at your place. Your at home, right?", Yoshi's voice was far.
" Ye—yeah. Go ahead."
The call was cut and Miki's home's door bell rang. Miki open the door and there stood Yoshi. Her lips were curled that, in Miki's head, looked a lot like maccaroni. She was hungry.
Miki made Yoshi a warm chocolate. Yoshi drowned her head between her hands.
" You saw a ghost or something? You never want to sleep at my place.", said Miki.
" Haha.", Yoshi laughed coldly.
" Oh, come on. What's wrong?"
" I feel like I want to cry, okay?", Yoshi raised her face toward Miki's.
" Ha?"
" I'm counting my days to graduation yet everyone was separated. Damn!", Yoshi turned her face away.
" Oh, don't cry. You always the strong one, right? If you start crying then I'll be crying too.", Miki hugged Yoshi.
" I wanted you all to have a good memories of me. Man… is that too much too ask?"
" We do. Everything about you is good, Yocchan. Please, don't talk like you're going some place far."
Yoshi began to cry. Her body trembled with sadness.
" I'm sorry… I know I was suppose to be the strong one.", Yoshi covered her face with her hands. Hardened her jaws in attempt to stop her tears, but it's futile.
" No. No. You're still the strongest one. To us. To me.", Miki held Yoshi's body harder.
Yoshi were always there everytime she had a hard time. It's her turn to be her shelter. To be her strong one when she's fragile.
The smell of morning coffee woke Yossi up. She was still under the warm familiar scented blanket then. It was so soft she wanted to go back asleep, but a gentle voice called out.
" You okay?", asked Miki. She was sitting beside the bed, drinking her own coffee.
" Yeah... What happened? I didn't get drunk, right?", she asked.
" No. But you looked like you had thirteen bottles of sake and then passed out.", Miki replied. Miki gave Yossi the coffee.
" Really? Well, I guess that normal since I haven't cried in a long time. Crying exhausting you know?", Yossi sipped her coffee, " Oow, it's strong."
" Yeah. My new coffee bean. Good for hangover."
" It's not a hangover."
" Well, either way you look tired. Get some more sleep.", Miki rubbed Yossi on her hair.
" No, I'm fine. I think it's time for me to settle everything down."
Yossi arranged a little dinner party at Takamine's Restaurant, the one Morning Musume always come for a healthy and below the price meals. Everybody was already there, including Jun Jun and Lin Lin. Yossi named this dinner as, Yossi's Fun Dinner Party.
" But pay for yourselves. Except for Jun Jun and Lin Lin. I pay for them because they don't know they have to pay for themselves.", she said.
" What?", Ai screamed, " But I already order a lot."
" Aren't we celebrating you, Yoshizawa-san?", asked Reina.
" We are. And because it's my celebration, you should pay for yourselves. And Miki, you pay for mine.", Yossi explained.
" Huh? Why?", Miki confused.
" Because you're about to be a leader.", Yossi answered.
Then, silent fill the round table they sat on. Risa's face still looked angry. No, under the weather is the right word. Jun Jun and Lin Lin, without their translator, watched silently and confused. They just nodded sometimes on a simple word like "order" or casual greetings.
" Okay, I'm just going to say this. I know everybody having a hard time this couple of weeks. Our concert coming up, new member joining in, Ai became uglier, we had a lot of stress.", Yossi started speaking.
" What?", Ai squeaked.
" But this is something we can get through like any others. We had our bumps in life too before. Mari's scandal, Makoto and Konkon's graduations, we all devastated back then. But we came back standing.", Yossi grabbed Miki's hand under the table, saying please support me, by it. Miki squeezed back. Saying, I'm with you.
" And after this concert I'll be gone..."
Risa cutted in, " No. No, don't talk about that."
" I have to.", Yossi looked at Risa, "Jun Jun, Lin Lin, I don't know if you can understand this but I'm glad you're joining in. These snakes could be slick sometimes but they are good snakes. And learn some more Japanese."
Everybody stayed quiet. Yossi took a deep breathe.
" I'm sorry if I'm not much of a leader to you guys. But these times I've spent with you are all beautiful. You are my home.", Yossi squeezed Miki's hand harder.
" Tck. Yoshizawa-san...", Risa turned her eyes away.
Ai leaned her head backward and with all her might held her tears. Jun Jun read the atmosphere and started sobbing.
" This is my family. And I believe you feel the same, so...", Ai stopped Yossi.
" Stop talking. We promised to ourselves that we wouldn't cry on graduation anymore. You're ruined it for us.", she said while crying.
Miki felt Yossi's hand tremble a little bit. She knew what it meant.
" I'm the one who should be apologizing. I'm the one whose been acting all jerk. I'm sorry.", Risa cried. Reina, who sat beside her, hugged her and also started crying.
" I'm... I don't know you that well, Yoshizawa-san.", Lin Lin said something while sobbing.
" But, you were the one... who gentle to us. I...", Lin Lin bursted into tears. Jun Jun quickly hugged her.
" I'm sorry, I can't Japanese...", Lin Lin ended her sentences and drown her face in Jun Jun.
Yossi smiled lost her words. Miki saw her and nodded.
" Everyone. Let's try our best and not let this boyish leader down.", she raised her glass and proposed a toast.
That night, everybody was having fun. Risa started to accept Jun Jun and Lin Lin and taught them some Japanese words that not really appropriate. Ai was busy with her overflowing food. Shige and Reina tried to stop Kamei's crying who came a little bit late. Koharu asked Miki for advice on her new unit.
Yossi, sat silently and watched everybody. This maybe the last time she sat there as a Morning Musume leader. Everything might not be the same after she graduate but at least she knew her friends won't change a bit.
The Members said a long and dramatic good bye to Yossi before they left. Leaving Yossi and Miki.
" How's my speech?", asked Yossi.
" Bad. It was not touching at all.", Miki answered hurriedly.
" But everybody cried."
" Not... everybody.", Miki stumbled.
" What? You're gonna cry now. I was going to thank you for not letting me cry back then.", Yossi pulled Miki's head and held it close to her chest.
" Yes. You're welcome.", Miki covered her face with her hands, " Can I cry now?"
Yossi laughed, " Yes."
" I hate you."
" No, you love me."
" I hate you for leaving and left those crazy kids with me."
c" I'll always be here."