Edit 8/13/20

37 / A Fantastic Reunion

2008

Tokyo, Japan

Ai Mizuno was tired.

Already the middle of April and the schedule was packed; interviews, TV appearances, photo-ops, the works.

Iron Frill had just hit it big and now there was too much work. Not that Ai hadn't expected it. Everyone's eyes were on Iron Frill now, so it was to be expected that they'll get work from all over.

"Thinking about practice again?"

"No," Ai yawned, leaning against the car's window, watching the buildings passing by. Her mother let out a small hum, nodding as she kept her eyes on the road.

"Your schedule has been rather tight these days, hasn't it?"

Ai let out another yawn as she nodded.

"Yeah...Suzuki's been running haggard for a few days now because of all the extra work." Suzuki was Iron Frill manager; she had been there since the beginning, a novice like Ai and the rest of the girls. Despite being a newbie, Suzuki had proved to be rather talented in understanding the industry better than some veterans, able to discern what was popular and what worked. But most importantly, Suzuki had believed in Iron Frill.

By the end of their first year, Iron Frill had reached the top and Suzuki had not stopped believing.

Suzuki was a good manager, all things considered; she made sure not to overwork the girls if she could afford it, made sure they were healthy, make sure they didn't get hurt during practice, etc. Frankly, Suzuki felt more like a nanny than a manager sometimes but as Ai ended up learning, it wasn't just because their manager cared but because the idol industry could be...difficult.

There was nothing Suzuki could do about her boss and their work but she tried her best.

Ai didn't mind the work but Suzuki understood their limits.

"Saga Rock's coming up in a few months...so that's been an extra worry for the schedule…" Ai went on.

"Isn't that concert until August?"

"It is...but, you know how Suzuki gets…"

Suzuki was an overly cautious woman.

Ever since Iron Frill became rather popular, their manager made it a habit to be prepared no matter what and so, made sure to pay attention to any local news about the areas they were set to perform ahead of time. These measures were mostly for the girls of Iron Frill, as they had taken to going out sightseeing after finishing a concert, treating their little outing as a sort of mini vacation before going home.

Recently, Suzuki had read about a few traffic accidents in Saga, specifically in Karatsu. The accidents were not necessarily serious; a couple of hit-and-runs on parked cars and chained bikes, a few stop signs that were run over, poles and signs. Nothing to worry about.

And then, just a few days ago, a girl was killed in a hit-and-run.

(Ai's heart broke a little just remembering it…)

Nina had told the rest of the girls the bad news yesterday after practice.

Sure, the accidents were nowhere near Saga Rock's location but their manager was not going to take that risk.

Someone was already dead and the driver was nowhere to be found.

Nina had not seemed too worried when she talked about the mysterious driver privately with Ai. "I'm guessing it's a totally different guy and Suzuki's worrying for nothing."

"Why do you think so?" Ai had asked.

"Location," Nina told her, as she was taking out her second candy bar of the day from her bag. "Jerkass has been crashing into cars and signs near big businesses for a few days now...so, he's either too drunk to care, or knows his way around the place if they haven't caught him already." Peeling the chocolate's wrapper, Nina went on. "Resident areas are compact. Jerkass would have crashed into a house by now." The girl took a bite out of her chocolate bar, gulping the piece down before saying, "And besides, the cars are totally different models, so there's that too."

(as the days went by, Nina's assumption had been spot on but that had not stopped the worrying Suzuki as there was still a missing driver and a dead girl)

"Is she worrying about current events again?" Aoi asked with a sigh. "She's going to stress herself out like that…"

Ai couldn't help the helpless grin that formed on her pretty face.

Suzuki had always been a worrywart.

One time during practice when Nono had slipped and twisted her ankle, Suzuki had taken her straight to the hospital, fearing the worst. Last week after Nina had sneezed, the manager had cornered Aoi, who had been visiting, to check on poor Kaoru and make sure she didn't have the flu or worse. Kaoru was fine. And just yesterday when Nina had that coughing fit from eating those chips...well, rinse and repeat.

Sometimes Ai wondered if Suzuki cared a little too much; if it wasn't the girls, it was that mysterious driver from Saga.

(it was too bad that the driver wouldn't be the problem when a lightning bolt ended Ai's life just months later)

The apartment was a little too empty, Ai noticed.

Her mother had never been much for interior decorating but their modest apartment back in Tokyo had looked lived in.

There were unpacked boxes littering a corner, books tossed about on the table, plates and cups and pans still inside their boxes by the dishwasher, bags of groceries waiting to be put away, no notes nor magnets stuck on the fridge.

What a sad place this apartment was, Ai thought.

(it looked dead)

Junko had excused herself to another room, leaving mother and daughter alone to talk but so far, ten minutes had passed and nothing. Both of them just sat there, staring everywhere but at each other.

Another ten minutes passed before Aoi finally spoke, her face hiding behind her hands. "Ai…" Ai didn't say anything; she wanted to cry but stopped herself. "Ai...why...?"

(why are you alive when you're supposed to be dead?)

The doctor uncovered her face and gave Ai a stern look, the tears already shed and gone. "How...did this...happen?"

"I...I don't know…"

Ai really didn't know.

One day she woke up, not remembering the pain, worried about a concert that was years gone, worried about practice, worried about...being alive.

"...well...I...just woke up."

"R-really?" Aoi sounds confused, her tone somehow saying that she doesn't believe her.

"That's...about it."

"...what did that man do?"

"Not sure."

No one was.

Everyone had assumed, erroneously, that Sakura had been with Kotaro from the very beginning, considering the fact she was awake first and had decided to play along with that man's outrageous demands. Turns out, Sakura was just as stuck as they all were, and only because she couldn't remember much about anything when they first met. Once things had settled down somewhat between them, Ai had asked Sakura privately what Kotaro's deal was.

"To save Saga...I guess," Sakura had told her, an odd expression on her face as if she was trying to remember something.

Saga. Saga.

Has it always been about Saga?

Ai had suspected there had been another reason but with Kotaro who could say what it was.

Her mother suddenly sighed, eyes downcast. "...Why...are you...an idol again?"

Ah. That was the question Ai was expecting.

It was such a natural and reasonable question to ask and Ai was a little prepared for it.

"...I guess...because I wanted a second chance..."

Aoi sighs again, as if expecting that answer and says, "...but you're dead…"

Her daughter smiles bitterly. "That's right."

"What was that man thinking…?" Aoi asked, mostly to herself.

He didn't seem to be thinking at all, Ai wanted to say but stopped herself.

Kotaro could do many things, that much Ai knew to be true. She had seen him at work, making deals, writing the songs, the music, putting on their makeup. He was terrible at being a decent human being at times but he had talent.

"He's…" An idiot. "...odd."

"...so, he's an idiot."

"Well…" Ai wasn't about to defend the man but she didn't want to throw him under the bus either. "He...is strange."

"An idiot who can bring back the dead to be idols…" Aoi went on. "...how does someone like that even exist?" Ai shrugged. "...Ai…" The girl looked up. "Are you okay…?"

"I'm fine...I guess," Ai said, not really understanding her mother's question for a moment before she realized what the doctor meant. "It...it doesn't hurt."

"...really?"

Ai nodded. "It doesn't...the bandages just…" Hide the burns. The marks. The dead.

"Can I…?"

Ai blinks. "Wha…?"

"Examine you."

"Why would you…" Ah, Ai suddenly understands.

The Heisei idol had already seen the damage herself; the burns, the veins that had exploded all over her body. It wasn't as bad as she thought it would be but it was rather noticeable.

Ai wants to cry; she doesn't know why, she just wants to.

It's odd.

"O-okay…"

(she's dead, she's dead)

Genji arrived bright and early the next day to a worried Sakura and Yugiri standing in front of a closed door. Tae sat on the floor, Romero cuddling at her side.

"He's still hiding, huh?" Genji asked, not sounding worried at all.

"Yes…" Yugiri answered with a frown. "We are worried he might start skipping meals…"

Genji shrugged. "Let's break the door down then."

"Genji...we are not breaking the door," Sakura told him.

"There's gotta be an axe or something to break it around here…"

"Genji…"

"YOU DAMN PUNK! YOU BREAK THE DOOR, I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR IT!"

"He sounds outrageous as always," Genji replied with a shake of his head as the man kept on yelling.

"YOU PUNK! I..."

"Are you planning to get out?" Sakura asked, interrupting the argument. Kotaro didn't answer. And all the while, Sakura stared at the closed door before her expression changed, slowly, into a glare. It was intense, almost powerful but with the man hiding behind the door, there was nothing that glare could do. Yugiri noticed this and placed a delicate hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Let's give him some space, Sakura…"

"But…"

"He doesn't seem too dumb to wanna die," Genji said. "Let's just go. He's going to come out when he gets hungry." Sakura stares at the door for a bit more, glare gone, before she sighs, nods at Yugiri and begins to walk away, followed behind Yugiri, her brother, and Tae, whose trailing behind with a zombie dog at her heels.

A/N: Now...I know what you're thinking...that wasn't much of flashback but there's a reason for that...mostly because a character has already filled a few blanks for her story. There's also a few characters from that flashback that might make an appearance later on to expand a bit about it later.

For now, I will try to post chapters once a week again...keyword is 'try' but I will do my best! I'm getting to the exciting part after all!

Anyway, please take care and see you next update!