Seven Men and a Baby
By
Chibijem
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters herein and am making no financial gain from this work of fiction.
Starish were going through the choreographed moves for their music video with the cameras rolling until a small child rushed onto the set.
"CUT!" The director yelled and stomped towards the group, quite unhappy with the intrusion. "Who's child is this?!"
"You're scaring her." Jinguji Ren told the man as he knelt to the child's level and brushed tears away from the little girl's cheeks. "Are you alright?" He asked as the tiny invader took ahold of his sweater. He took her in his arms and stood. "Okaasan? Otousan?" He queried, looking into sparkling eyes surrounded by wet lashes.
"She could not have wandered too far." Hijirikawa Masato said, smiling at the tiny female.
"Oh, what a cutie you are." Shinomiya Natsuki exclaimed, all smiles.
"Has anyone seen this child before?" Ichinose Tokiya asked the staff whom were standing about. He reached a long finger and ran it over the small, downy cheek. He smiled when the child grasped his finger.
"Should we call the authorities?" Aijima Cecil held out his pendant when he noticed how entranced the baby had become with it.
"Why don't we try and find her parents on our own before getting the police involved." Ittoki Otoya replied. "Like Masato said, she could not have gone far and I'm sure whomever she was with is frantic by now."
"Hold on!" The director interrupted. "We have a schedule."
"Are you telling us that is more important than helping her?" Kurusu Syo argued, blue eyes flinty in rising anger.
"We are not about to leave a lady in distress." Ren plainly stated as the tiny girl laid her head on his shoulder, sucking her thumb.
"Anything for a female, ne Jinguji?" Masato grinned at the sight of his friend holding a baby.
"We cannot sit idly by." Tokiya added. The singer turned to the director, "We have a break coming. We'll take the time and do a quick search."
"If we haven't found who she was with by the end of it, we shall call the proper authorities." Natsuki added, running a gentle hand over the girl's silky hair.
Six of the seven members separated and went in search while Ren sat on bench, holding his precious burden. One of the staffers brought some juice over and he sat talking to the child in an attempt to keep her calm.
"Jinguji-san? Have a new friend?" Nanami Haruka stood before him, smiling. "You look perfect-a baby in your arms."
"Ano…..She came wandering onto the set while we were filming. The others are searching the park."
Golden eyes looked over the child. "How long have you all been looking?" She asked as she sat beside Starish's saxophonist.
"Not long. If we cannot find her parents, we're calling the police."
"Well, whomever she belongs to is probably very anxious. I know I would be if I lost her." She ran her hand over the child's back as the smaller female dozed against Jinguji's broad shoulder. "You are a natural." A teasing note in her voice.
"Yeah well…." Ren smiled at the one he dubbed Little Lamb. "No luck?" He asked Tokiya as the raven haired vocalist strode up.
"Iie, I went all the way to the street just north of here and asked everyone I came across. No one knew anything." He replied as he sat next to Haruka and stole a kiss from his lady love. The couple turned when they heard the little girl giggle. The once and current idol had to move fast when the child launched herself into his arms. "Be careful, Little One." He scolded lightly, settling the tiny female on his lap. He looked at the other female when he heard a sigh. "Oh no….I am way too young." He said, seeing the look in his lover's eyes.
"Hai, we both are. It just got me thinking. You look so natural with a child in your arms-you and Jinguji-san both do."
"Lady, you can get that thought out of your pretty head. No way are any of us ready for that responsibility."
The others soon returned with the same results, "I guess we'll have to make that call." Otoya sighed. He hated the thought of the baby taken to a bunch of strangers.
"Why don't we give it a few more minutes?" Cecil interjected, running his hand over the child's dark curls.
"Hai, we still have some time before the director calls us back." Masato agreed, a smile crossing his features when the little girl grabbed his finger tickling her chin.
"A few more minutes won't hurt anything." Ren added.
When the tiny female started fussing, Tokiya adjusted her on his lap. "She must be getting hungry or thirsty."
"Or…..?" Syo put out the unsaid suggestion.
"Come on, Chibi-chan." Haruka lifted the child to her hip and strode to one of group's trailers. When she returned, the girl held a juice box in one hand and was sucking on a popsicle.
"Everything alright?" Tokiya stood as the two sat on the bench.
"Hai." The composer put the child down so the smaller was leaning against her, on tiny feet, enjoying her treat. "I tried getting her to talk or even react to some words, but nothing worked." She sighed in disappointment.
Tokiya knelt, "Hey Little One, can you tell us where you came from, hmmmm?" He cupped a peachy cheek in his tender hand. "I'm sure whomever you were with is worried about you." He said softly. "I know I would be."
He leaned his own cheek into Haruka's hand when she caressed his face with her free hand. "We'll find them." She assured not only him but the others who were standing around them.
"We're going to have to call someone." Natsuki said sadly.
"I hate the thought of her going with strangers." Otoya's eyes upset at the idea.
Masato took out his phone and was dialing when the tiny child let out a scream. "Nani?!" Eyes wide with shock and fright.
"I guess she wants to stay with us." Ren knelt down and put his finger to tiny, soft lips. "Ne?" His voice as soft as the look on his face.
"We can't keep her." Tokiya replied. The girl started crying quietly and Haruka started to hum a lullaby, taking the baby in her arms. The group added their voices and soon the child was lightly dozing against her. The video staff had stopped to listen and silently applauded them.
"Aiko-chan?!" A voice was heard calling out. Haruka stood with Tokiya's help and watched as a young woman came running up. "Honto ni gomen nasai." She barely managed to get out between gasping breaths.
"Iie, you are her okasan?" Ren asked.
"Hai," The woman ran her hand over the girl's back. "I was getting her a shaved ice and one second she was there and the next she was gone."
"Children move fast when they want to." Masato agreed, trying to calm the woman.
"Ever since she learned to walk, it has been a trial keeping up with her." She sat on the bench and accepting her daughter back. "Thank you so, so much for watching out for her."
"Ano, where were you when she disappeared?" Otoya asked. "We searched most of the park."
"Just across the way, there's a cart selling ices."
"That's pretty far." Tokiya mused.
"Like I said, it's been a trial." The woman smiled at her child as she woke from her nap. "Ne, Aiko-chan? What have Otosan and I been telling you about wandering?" Tiny fingers grasped the woman's sweater, the small head nodding, lips trembling.
As the group were saying their farewells and accepting the woman's thanks, the director came up to them. "If I could talk to you all: I've an idea for the other video." A few minutes later, cameras were being moved and make-up and hair being done and retouched. The little girl bouncing on her heels, smiling.
"We all want to thank you for allowing us to use Aiko-chan in our video." Tokiya told the mother, coming up to her as she stood next to Haruka.
"Iie, it's the least we can do. My husband was thrilled you would think of it. Not to mention when my younger sister hears about this…."
When the video was released it raced to the top of the charts and actually brought down Shining Entertainment's internet servers with all the watches it was getting. The images of the members of Starish serenading, playing with and holding a tiny girl melted hearts all over Japan.
FIN