"In tonight's news, the popular JPOP group U.A. Spice has announced their very first tour dates all across Japan for this coming summer. Presale tickets will be available for purchase through their official website and through the local event centers by the end of the week. In just under a year this group of young women have taken the internet by storm with their most popular song Hero Too—"
The TV clicked off silently only to be replaced by a gaggle of girls screaming excitedly into the room. A group of six young women bounced up and down on the large, curved sectional adorning their suite's living room. Pillows flew off the furniture every which way in the chaos before some of the women followed suit. They hugged, cheered, popped the champagne bottles wide open in celebration of their very first tour dates. After years of hard work, rejection letters from major label companies, and even some of their friends and families saying they'd never get anywhere being JPOP stars, the women of U.A. Spice had finally broken through the barriers to become number one on the charts. The girls rolled to a stop on the carpet with aching sides, tears of joy, and the widest smiles humanly possible.
"Finally! We showed those naysayers, girls! We're trending number one on the charts and we ain't stopping there!" Mina Ashido hollered with a freshly popped champagne bottle sloshing over the remaining group members sprawled around her. "Take that Becky from high school! You can kiss my pink painted ass for all of your spiteful words and stupid unbleached roots! I'll bet you she'll even try to buy tickets because of our popularity!"
"You're still going on about her? Didn't she move out of the country for some modeling gig in Europe?" Kyoka Jiro waved a hand at her friend lazily as she draped upside down from the couch with a grin. Momo Yaoyorozu dusted herself off before elegantly sitting beside her friend with a more than pleased expression.
"Her dye jobs were so bad it scared all of the town's stylists into closing!" Toru Hagakure cackled with a swig of Mina's champagne bottle and an arm locked around the pink haired drummer. The two spun around in circles before collapsing in a laughing heap on the end of the couch.
"I can't believe we've made it this far. I had my doubts in the beginning but I'm glad we stuck through it to the end," Tsuyu Asui jumped to her feet while pulling the last band member to her feet. Ochaco Uraraka enthusiastically nodded her head before tossing herself onto the couch in between the two sets of girls with Asui choosing to take a seat on the end next to Yaoyorozu.
"It was all a team effort to get where we are now, ladies, so let's party the night up in celebration! Oh, I should call my parents first to let them know the good news. Has anyone seen my phone?" Uraraka patted down her pockets in search of the smartphone provided by the recording agency until Mina tossed the discarded device straight onto her lap.
"You need to keep better track of your things, girlie. You're lucky I love you enough to know where you tossed it!" Mina blew a kiss to the brunette who shuffled to the other side of the room to make a call. The sound of bottles popping open filled the room as Uraraka unlocked the smartphone to dial out. Ever since she was little all she wanted to do was help people smile with the power of music and now at the ripe age of twenty-one, it was finally happening. The phone rang three times before the line picked up and before a word could leave her mouth her parents' voices blasted through the speaker.
"Ochaco, we're so proud of you! We knew all along you could do it! Congrats, honey! Tell the other girls that we're proud of them too!" Uraraka's mother sobbed over the line as her father tried to comfort his emotional wife. A hand cupped the bottom of the device to block out the sounds of glasses clinking together. While it was acceptable for a woman of her age to be drinking in the confines of the rented room, she tried to be respectful of the fact when on the phone with her parents. "I hope you girls are proud of yourselves for getting to where you are now! I can't believe it's actually happened…I need to start calling the neighbors to let them know. Hold the phone, dear, I'm going to go let everyone know my daughter is a famous popstar!"
"The whole neighborhood probably already knows if they watch the nightly news," Ochaco chuckled as her father grumbled about disturbing the neighbors so late at night.
"We're proud of you, Ochaco, and I know you're going to be doing great things in your career but I want you to be safe doing so. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to have the record company send out some bodyguards when you go out, just in case something happens. I've read stories of popstars having stalkers and even in America there were people killed by crazed people."
"I'm sure everything will be fine, dad. I'll ask them tomorrow in the meeting but I need to go now, Mina is getting out of control with the champagne bottles."
"All right, I love you Ochaco. Have a good night."
"Love you too, tell mom I said goodnight and don't let her harass the neighbors too much about her famous daughter."
The call ended so Ochaco skipped back towards the rowdy group of girls with shimmering eyes. It all seemed like a dream as she grabbed a flute of alcohol to toast with the other girls on their newfound success. There had been countless nights of unease as the pile of rejections grew on her kitchen counter, both minor and major studios alike dismissing them for their eclectic tastes and nicknames. The JPOP market was a fierce and highly competitive battlefield which often resulted in dirty tactics to eliminate the weaker competition. Persistence finally paid off when an up and coming recording studio finally accepted their application and not even a week later they were signing the contracts. It was a little odd to have a hotheaded owner who liked to yell about…well, anything really, but Yaoyorozu took it upon herself to be the spokesperson for the girls to avoid further conflicts.
"Hey, Mr. Boss is calling so pipe down!" Toru waved the illuminated phone as it spit out their number one hit song, the music drowning out the cheerful clinks of glassware. Everyone gathered around to hear what the owner had to say so the blonde tapped the green phone followed with the speaker button.
"I said get that shit figured out by tonight! What part of a deadline don't you get? Seriously, what the hell am I paying you for?!" The angry screech filled the room causing five out of the six women to clamp their hands over their delicate ears. Mina just grabbed the phone before putting the microphone right up against her lips, a tipsy grin tugging at crimson painted lips.
"BOSS MAN! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO SCREECH INTO THE DAMN PHONE!" Immediate cussing filled the line and the pinkette merely chortled with laughter before setting the phone down on the table to grasp her sides tightly. Toru smacked her upside the head lightly before leaning forward to grab another glass of alcohol. Yaoyorozu pursed her lips lightly while sipping on her drink.
"Fuckin' hell, Pinky, yer gonna make me deaf! Can't you tell I'm trying to work here? You ain't the only group I'm operating with ya know!"
"I assume your call is to congratulate us, Mr. Bakugo?" Jiro piped in after smacking a hand over Mina's incoherent blabbering mouth to hear him better. Not that she really needed to hear him better considering the lower floors probably heard his obnoxious voice.
"Yeah, yeah, congrats on charting number one and booking your first tour BUT don't think the hard work is done and over with. JPOP is a highly competitive market that requires constant improvements like never before seen dances, outfits, personalities, music, whatever else. You all got lucky with Hero Too and a handful of other songs but watch the link I sent to your phones. You've got competition of the male variety who seem to be catching up to you pretty fast. Call themselves Twisted Sinners or some stupid shit like that, I don't care to see what their actual name is. They've got some good vocals and catchy songs written by some former schoolmates of mine. Seems they're partnered with Phantom Records run by that asshole Monoma."
"Phantom Records? Isn't that one of the major record companies in Japan?" Asui asked while sharing a curious look with her friends, a habitual finger placed against her mouth. "I thought they weren't taking anyone new in since the CEO's son took over a few months ago. I wonder if plans changed under the new ownership."
"So when you say they're catching up, on a scale of one to ten how worried do we need to be about being knocked out of the rankings? 'Cuz I just got here damnit and I'm not giving it up for anyone!" Mina slapped her hands on the table to emphasize her point to the already annoyed manager.
"At this point…probably at a four or five already. They're growing in popularity because they're all good looking guys with the cords to match. While there are more men clamoring over all female groups like yourselves, the women fight harder to help their male idols reach the tops of the charts in hopes of personal connections or some crap like that. Don't underestimate the hormones of a woman when they see a sexy shirtless man dancing and singing on a stage." Bakugo snorted at the ridiculousness before yelling at somebody in the background to shut up.
"So what's the next step? I've got some ideas that we can go over for tomorrow's meeting or I can let you know now if you'd like. But knowing how you operate on a strict schedule you'll want us to write everything down for the meeting tomorrow morning at nine." Yaoyorozu interjected once he was done berating a poor employee about his job and the now lack thereof. Jiro twirled her stretched earlobes with restless fingers while staring at the glowing phone screen. Katsuki Bakugo did a damned good job of whipping them into shape and putting them in the spotlight but there was a certain lack of…professionalism sometimes. It wasn't the first time they'd heard him fire a poor soul and judging from the timid voice pleading not to be fired yet again, it was the same lackey as before.
"Nine in the morning, don't be late. You better not come in hungover again, Pinky, or I'm going to make you scrub every inch of my office if there's another vomiting incident."
"Oh come on it was like one time—"
"Three. Three times. Once in my office, once in the company SUV, once right before your big interview with talk show host Midnight. Do you know how embarrassing that was for the company? It's hard enough trying to make it in a dog-eat-dog work and you barge in with your drinking problems. If I smell even a hint of alcohol on you tomorrow, you're banned from touring."
"That's not fair! I'm a young woman in the prime of my life as a pop star so I'm allowed to let loose!"
"Not when you're being represented by my company! I'm dead serious, Ashido, lose the booze or lose the tour. Your choice."
"We'll make sure she doesn't have any more for the evening and all of us will see you in the morning, sir." Yaoyorozu regained control of the escalating situation with a soothing voice to ease the frayed nerves on both ends. Toru immediately yanked the champagne bottles from Mina's grasp while Asui, Ochaco, and Jiro shifted to clean up and store any remnant bottles. Bakugo grumbled about the hassles of dealing with women before ending the call. "Come on, let's get you a cold shower then put you to bed. We worked so hard to get that tour, Mina, let's not waste a once in a lifetime opportunity over some temporary fun."
"He is right, girl, you kinda do have a drinking problem sometimes and I'd hate for the bad publicity to get out. It's taken a long time to get to where we are now so let's do our best to keep moving forward, okay?" Jiro encouraged with a tugging of the pinkette's arm to get her slouched, pouting form moving towards the bathroom. Yaoyorozu grabbed the other side and the trio made for the bathroom while the remaining three cleaned up for the evening. It wasn't super late, around eight, but it had been a long day of meetings, paperwork, approving costumes changes for the tour dates. Honestly the more Ochaco thought about it the sleepier she got.
"Is it me or has it been a long day?" Toru asked once the sound of the shower echoed into the living room. She finished drying her hands off before tossing the paper towel into the trash can resting on the edge of the kitchen island.
"There's been a lot of running around these past few weeks with fan meetings and tour planning that I think I've forgotten to eat a few times," Ochaco admitted with a ruffling of chestnut locks. Mealtimes were her favorite times of day yet with how hectic things were being JPOP stars, it seemed her mind and stomach forgot to eat a handful of times. Tsu nodded in agreement. Being observant as ever she'd noticed how her best friend since childhood had gotten too frazzled to remember to eat and even though she tried her best to remind her, Ochaco often had spacey moments.
"Right? I think what we need is a good, long night of sleep that way we're ready and energized for that big meeting in the morning. It's the one going over the tours?"
"Yes. They want to get the dates, cities, and event centers lined up and set so they can start preparing. There's only four and a half weeks until the first live performance in Tokyo so it's a lot to do. Not to mention any costume changes, accommodations, transportation, food, security, merchandise orders. It's no wonder Bakugo is always so angry. I'd be stressed too if I had to deal with all of the stressful parts of sponsoring a JPOP group. Not sure he's even taken a day of since we joined six months ago." Yaoyorozu reappeared to help finish the clearing while Jiro shuffled around the kitchen to find some cleaning supplies.
"He said he's running other groups but he never did say who. I've never seen anyone else at his office apart from a few staff members and sometimes a food delivery company. Maybe he just doesn't have many friends." Toru guessed though no one else really seemed to agree with the statement. The shower turned off shortly after the living room was cleaned up and the girls were preparing for bed. Mina trudged back over to her bed with a pout before jumping and flopping loudly onto the covers.
"Better?" Asui asked.
"I guess. Took all of the fun out my night though."
"Some good sleep will have you ready to go in the morning! Let's get to bed so we can wake up on time for the big meeting. Goodnight, girls." Ochaco happily bounced under the covers to cocoon herself in the softness of the sheets. Mina, Toru, Asui, and Jiro all shared a devious glance. One by one they crept up on the unsuspecting burrito before launching themselves into a massive dogpile on the brunette who squeaked in surprise.
"Aww, but we love you Ochaco so play with us a little while longer! Don't be so stiff like Yaomomo over there!" Mina latched on tightly to the squirming lump to keep her still while the other girls dove in for the kill. Ochaco begged for mercy as they tickled her relentlessly for minutes on end until she cried uncle.
"Ladies, let's remember we are in a hotel so we should be a bit more respectful of those trying to sleep around us." Yaoyorozu pointed out once the noise died down a bit, the pile of girls splayed out on the large bed breathing heavily.
"Yes, ma'am! You heard the boss lady, get your butts to bed!" Toru saluted then skipped away towards her bed on the opposite side of the room. One by one they slowly headed to their respective beds for some hard earned sleep.
"Night," Jiro called out from her bed across from Yaoyorozu.
"Sweet dreams, everyone." Said Yaoyorozu who quickly shifted under the covers before turning off the bedside lamp.
"Don't let those bedbugs bite!" Toru loudly whispered.
"Wait, those things are real?" Mina asked incredulously, stopping half way to getting under the covers. "You're joking right?"
"Ah, sleep," Ochaco mumbled into the soft pillow.
"Goodnight." Asui waved from her spot next to Toru's bed.
All was silent for a few minutes as the group settled into their beds for the evening, the only sound filtering through the room was the air conditioner running softly until a certain pink haired woman turned on a lamp. "You were joking about the bugs, right?"
"Go to bed, Mina."
"I'm surprised you aren't even that hungover, Pinky," Bakugo grinned tauntingly as he opened the door for the group to enter his personal office, the pinkette merely sticking her tongue out before chugging more of her coffee. They'd arrived a little early but he preferred it that way since his days were usually jampacked with calls, meetings, and recording sessions. Yaoyorozu was efficient in getting the rest of the girls moving so that took some of the stress off yet sometimes it was a hassle dealing with the popstars and their diversities. "Maybe my threats are finally getting through all that hair dye."
"Just know I didn't do it for you but for myself because I treat my body like a temple," Mina lowered her sunglasses ever so slightly to notch a brow at her manager, the two having an intense stare down.
"Says the girl who scarfed down a handful of pastries this morning because she was a little hungover." Toru loudly said behind her hand. A purse swatted at her but she deftly dodged it to hide behind Jiro as Mina huffed indignantly.
"Let's just get this meeting started so we can get on with the day. There's a lot of stuff to do and not a lot of time to get it done." Jiro sighed while motioning for everyone to take their seats. Everyone settled after a minute so Bakugo stood at the head of the table with his laptop and projector at the ready. The screen displayed the U.A Spice monthly schedule with bulletin points under every day that had multiple events booked. Color coordination ensured the distinct differences in the events and times in case they got confused. He could thank Mina and Toru for that extra bit of work.
"This is your schedule for the next month and it includes the times, dates, locations of your events. Everything should be set for your upcoming tour but if you've got costume changes make them now, Hatsume normally needs at least a few weeks to redesign then produce them though apparently she's taken on some apprentices so it could be faster. That doesn't mean submit your requests at the last minute. Mina."
"Ya know, I don't appreciate being targeted like this boss man. I'm a celebrity now and should have the utmost respect from my employer who gets a hefty cut of our income." Mina pointed a delicately painted finger nail at the suited spikey haired blond staring her down with his arms crossed over his chest. Bakugo sighed heavily while running a hand down his face. It was too early in the morning for this bullshit.
"May I remind you that no one else would take in such a newbie JPOP group who had no manager, rough organization, barely a penny to their name and a partying, out of control drummer with the attitude of a sour pickle. So remind me again who should have the utmost respect?"
"Fine. You get this round. Don't get too cocky because I'll leverage those odds in my favor next time." Mina caved before leaning over to fist bump her manager, the two sporting challenging smiles. Ever since they met it was always a pissing contest over who was right yet so far Bakugo always led the scoreboard. Not for the lack of trying on Mina's part, it was just the blond always seemed to gain the upper hand when it came to arguments.
"I was actually thinking we could get some special outfits made for the opening show, something to make us really stand out instead of the two piece cheer uniforms we've been wearing. The orange and white is cute and all but if we're doing our debut to all of Japan and the world then we each need some personalization to stand out. Oh! What if we each did outfits that match our personal styles? Jiro seems the black leather jacket and combat boot type, Yaomomo would look fantastic in something red with some gold that's a bit revealing, Tsu would be great in black and green that had a hint of cream, Ochaco would be adorable in pink with some white and maybe a smidge of black, Mina could do something purple like a halter neck and short skirt so she can kick out those killer moves! I would want something that makes me sparkle like a disco ball! Shimmery material, sequins, and even some jazzed out gloves or boots—"
"Focus, Hagakure, we've only got an hour to go over the important stuff. Swing by Hatsume's office today to get rough designs of what you want." Bakugo slammed his hand down on the desk hard enough to slosh his coffee violently in his mug.
"Actually, Mr. Bakugo," Ochaco started unsurely with a hand meekly raised. She waited until he raised a brow before continuing. "I was wondering what security would be like. My dad brought up some concerns about fans stalking their idols and since we're trending number one and going to be performing in front of hundreds I figured I would ask…"
"I've got a buddy who runs a private security company not too far from here. He's going to cover the event centers and even have some guys escort you through your schedules from now on. All bases have been covered, Cheeks, so just stick to your singing and dancing gig but there was also a reason you six came in through the back door instead of the front today. A horde of your fans is currently blocking the main entrance because it somehow slipped that you would be here. Not entirely surprising with your recent rise in fame yet nonetheless annoying as hell. Kirishima will be here shortly to disperse the fans so you can continue on with your day."
"Shouldn't we at least greet them? They're part of the reason for our success," Asui piped in with the others immediately agreeing.
"Your schedules are strictly set to maximize productivity. I didn't spend hours organizing your calendar just for you to do whatever you please because of a few people who adore you. You're going to have to sacrifice some downtime if you want to go out into that throng of fanboys and tween girls because I can guarantee it's going to take more than a few minutes with the sheer amount of people plugging up my business." Katsuki felt his eyebrow twitching when they continued to insist, his patience on the very last thread after one of his other groups failed to submit their schedules on time for approval.
"A few minutes won't hurt, Bakubro, since your calvary has arrived!"
A tall, well-built newcomer leaned against the doorframe with a crooked pearly grin and unnaturally spiked red hair. A pitch black suit and button up complimented the stark color difference along with matching shades that dropped to reveal piercing red eyes. A small scar jutted out over his right eye adding to the mysterious appearance. Mina latched onto Toru as the man entered casually with hands shoved into his pockets, shaking her arm all the while looking him over top to bottom. "Holy shit he's hot! I call dibs on that one!"
"You can't call dibs on someone you don't know." Jiro pointed out with a smirk knowing exactly what was about to happen next. The spark ignited in Mina's golden eyes and before Yaoyorozu could restrain the unruly woman her chair screech backwards against the tiled floor.
"Bet? What's your name?!" Mina jumped from her seat with hands planted firmly against the table as she stared down the newcomer. The man removed his sunglasses completely, resting them just inside of his maroon shirt pocket then turned to fully look at the boisterous woman. She certainly was different than the other clients he'd guarded over the years. Unruly pink hair, confident demeanor, purple leopard printed tube top and mini jean skirt with oversized sunglasses resting on thick, wild locks. Definitely the unruly one of the JPOP group as the other five immediately covered their faces out of pure embarrassment.
"Eijiro Kirishima at your service, ma'am."
"I call dibs on Kirishima!" Mina crowed to the rest of her bandmates before plopping back down into her seat with a gleeful cackle. Bakugo pinched between his brows tightly with a sigh. There was no controlling that woman no matter how hard he tried. Luckily Kirishima knew how to handle the unruly ones seeing as he acted fairly similar sometimes.
"Nice of you to show up late, Kirishima. When I say nine in the morning I mean exactly at nine. Where are the rest of your guys?"
"Standing guard on all exits and in the parking lot awaiting orders. And I'm only like five minutes late because they closed off the usual route for construction. Seriously, who does construction at nine in the morning on a Monday?" Kirishima held out his fist for Bakugo to tap and almost begrudgingly the blond accepted it.
"Who else did you bring?"
"I've got Sato, Ojiro, and Kaminari with my usual drivers. Midoriya is almost done with his current contract with Shield Laboratories but I have him scheduled to meet up with us tonight at the dinner party. I told him to give you a call when he's arrived. Todoroki is away for family business though he said he'll be back in time as well. Figured four of us was enough to protect some beautiful popstars for the time," Kirishima winked in the girls' directions which had most of them flustering at the compliment. Mina nearly melted right out of her chair if it weren't for Toru and Asui yanking her back upright.
"Quit flirting with my clients!" Bakugo snapped with a heavy hand upside his friends head, the redhead merely shrugging with a laugh.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Eijiro Kirishima. My name is Momo Yaoyorozu and next to me is Kyoka Jiro, Ochaco Uraraka, Toru Hagakure, Mina Ashido, and Asui Tsuyu. We look forward to working with you." Yaoyorozu politely introduced herself and the rest of the group who all stood to bow. Kirishima returned the gesture before taking up a place against the wall, motioning for Bakugo to continue his meeting without further interruptions.
"Finally. Let's go over your schedule for today to start with. At ten-fifteen you have a meet and greet downtown at The Beanery coffee shop that should last less than an hour. Lunch from eleven to noon. Then you have a rehearsal from one until three. At three-thirty you'll meet up with Mr. Ishiyama to confirm the merchandise orders for the first tour. After you get a feel for how the shows go then you can alter the supply and demand. If you want to get with Hatsume today then I suggest going right after your visit with Mr. Ishiyama because at six-thirty you'll need to be ready for a private dinner and event with Hizashi Yamada who is the coordinator maintaining the arenas for your shows. You're expected to be dressed formally for the dinner and if I see you're not looking appropriate then I'm sending you home to change. This is a major private event with select newspapers and photographers allowed so I want you on your best behaviors. I have a few things to deal with here before I can join the route but Kirishima and his team have memorized the schedule to ensure everything is efficient. Questions?"
"Are you single, Kirishima?" Mina asked flirtatiously with her head resting between her palms, a dreamy look in her eyes. Kirishima felt a little embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his head nervously, unsure of the best way to respond to the sudden question. Mainly he dealt with the million and billionaire kids who had stuck up attitudes and horrible flirting skills, especially the blonde ones aged around eighteen who tried every tactic to get his attention. Somehow this time felt a little different.
"Uh…
"Come on, Mina, you need to focus! Quit drooling over the hot bodyguard and pay attention before Bakugo loses his mind!" Toru urgently shook the oblivious pink haired woman rather harshly until golden eyes narrowed on the blonde. Ochaco giggled behind her hands while Yaoyorozu, Jiro, and Asui just shook their heads albeit with smiles. She fell for more handsome men than they could count and this was just another one for the books.
"At this point nothing is going to get done in this meeting. Half an hour's been wasted so go ahead and deal with your little fans causing a traffic jam out front. At least one of you has the schedule down. I'm entrusting you to keep everyone in line, Yaoyorozu." Bakugo sighed in defeat with a punch of the projector power button and closing of his laptop screen.
"Yes, sir. I will make sure the rest of the girls remain diligent with the schedule. Thank you for your time today, Mr. Bakugo." The raven-haired leader bowed as she packed up her carefully laid out notebook and scheduler, the others following suit before filing from the room. Kirishima brought up the rear of the group with a quick salute to his friend.
Outside was chaos. Fans tried to swarm the popstars with their outstretched hands and notebooks for signatures. All six spread out to better manage the surge while security kept things orderly with their arms stretched out as barriers. Kirishima stuck himself between Mina and Toru, much to the formers absolute delight, while a man named Kaminari covered Yaoyorozu and Jiro. A third guard, Ojiro, protected Ochaco and Asui from a few overzealous fanboys. They signed autographs as fast as they could to give others the chance to greet them, shaking hands and taking a moment to thank the people for their dedication.
"You're the cutest out of them all, Ochaco! I've loved you ever since I laid eyes on you so will you marry me?!" A nearly middle aged man pleaded as he dropped to one knee and opened up a ring box to reveal a large diamond nesting within. The brunette startled at the sudden proposal but quickly tried to regain composure. It was a first for her yet the sincerity of his words touched her heart and she couldn't coldly dismiss it. She stopped just two feet from him and with an apologetic smile bowed deeply to reject his offer. A handful of people took out their phones to start recording the interaction much to her embarrassment.
"I'm sorry, I can't accept such a generous and kind offer from you. I hope you will understand." Ochaco waited a minute before slowly standing tall once more. The man had tears in his eyes and before the brunette could say a word he took off through the throng of fans crying. She began raising her hand to call out to him but the words died off as the cameras turned back to her. He never even gave his name so trying to call him back and apologize was pointless.
"Don't worry, Ochaco, you did the best that you could." Tsu took a break from signing a poster of herself to comfort her upset friend.
"I just didn't realize some fans had such…devotion."
"You'd be surprised the lengths some fans go to, Miss Uraraka. I've been in this business for a few years now and I've seen everything in the book plus some. There's usually a few who try to propose with every new idol group but they're never accepted. He honestly looks like one I've seen at nearly every JPOP event I've provided security for so it's no surprise he's here." Ojiro spoke lowly as she tried to recompose herself, an understanding look in his eyes and an apologetic smile.
"I just feel bad for him…sorry, I didn't catch your name?"
"Mashirao Ojiro, a pleasure to meet you. I'll be one of your accompanying bodyguards for the foreseeable future." Ojiro flashed a brief smile before effortlessly holding back a tween from sneaking underneath his arm barrier, the girl sending a dirty look at him before shifting her attention to a different member of the group.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ojiro. I appreciate your hard work in keeping us safe." Uraraka beamed then tried her best to return her attention to the yearning fans calling out. Dozens of autographs later and her hand was beginning to cramp. She'd never seen this many adoring fans at once so it became a bit overwhelming after a few minutes. The other girls seemed to be growing weary as well.
"We've got to get going, ladies. Bakugo set a strict schedule for you all and if we don't leave in the next two minutes we're all going to get an earful. After you Miss Ashido and Miss Hagakure." Kirishima announced with a sweeping arm pointing towards the currently barricaded parking lot beside the agency. As they began shifting away the fans tried to push past the bulky guards to reach their idols, names being called louder to regain the popstars attention. The fourth bodyguard held back the surging crowd that tried to sneak past the parking lot barrier while the JPOP group was ushered behind him. Three blacked out SUV's were lined up with the drivers awaiting by the open doors. Kirishima split them up with their respective guards before signaling Sato to load up in the last vehicle after they'd cleared the crowd. Paparazzi emerged from the shadows like roaches to catch a glimpse of the celebrities, camera flashes shuttering faster than they could blink away the spots.
Through the heavily tinted window Ochaco watched as fans cheered and waved goodbye to their idols, posters of herself flapping in the air. They were normally advised to keep the windows shut in case someone tried to enter the vehicle and harm them but a finger pressed down on the window regardless. She waved to the crowd with excitement buzzing in her veins. "Thank you all for your continued support, it means a lot to us! I hope you'll come to our live show in Tokyo next month so I can see you all again! Thank you!"
"We love you Ochaco!"
"You look great today, Asui!"
"Mina and Toru are my inspirations! Thank you!"
"Jiro is so cool!"
"Stop selling your bodies for fame and fortune! Get real jobs!"
"Yaoyorozu is so sweet and kind, that's why she's my favorite!"
"You're nothing more than money-seeking attention—!"
Ojiro had rolled up the window from the front seat before the sour woman could finish her sentence. No crowd of fans was complete without a few people ruining the hard work and success of those who sacrificed everything to reach the top. "Sorry about that ladies I didn't realize we had a sour grape in the patch."
"It's alright, Ojiro, thank you for thinking of us though. I know not everyone is supportive of what we do but I still try to make the best of the situation at hand. It can be discouraging at times." Tsu spoke after a quick swig of water.
"But look at how many people we've reached, Tsu," Ochaco pointed out as the vehicles turned onto the main street, the crowds slowly dispersing back to reality. There had to be at least fifty people all waiting to see their idols in the flesh. Some of them probably even took a day off work or school to show up just for a glance and autographs. "These people showed up in support of us because we made an impact in their lives. They've taken precious time out of their days to see the six women who undoubtedly made their day, if not life. I sometimes check the comments under our social media and I've read stories that some people were in the depths of despair until they heard one of our songs. Our music has literally saved lives. People may not agree with what we've done, but I fully stand behind the forming of U.A. Spice because we've made a difference in lives."
"That was beautifully said, Miss Uraraka." Ojiro remarked.
"I'm starved! What's for lunch, girls?" Toru asked with a big stretch above her head, the blonde releasing a satisfied sigh when her back popped audibly. Their meet and greet had gone by so quickly that it felt like they'd just sat down minutes ago. Less people showed up to this event though it was through a limited reservation only as part of the coffee shops guidelines. If they had too many people crowding the tables then business would be heavily impacted. This way they got some more business while operating as normal.
"I don't know what I want today. I'm not particularly hungry but I could go for a light meal." Yaoyorozu supplied with a shifting of her purse to a different position on her shoulder.
"There's a great place not too far from here if you girls don't mind more of a hole in the wall place than a chain. They've got the best mix and match options that you cook right at your table with tons of vegetables. Yakiniku is generally my go-to if I don't want something super heavy but more than a snack. There's also a great sweets shop a few doors down that has better deserts than I can make." Sato suggested while holding open the coffee shop door for the group to exit.
"Let's do that! What do you say, girls?" Toru clasped her hands together excitedly, pleading eyes batting mascaraed lashes in hopes of winning them over. "Then we can hit up that sweets shop!"
"Sounds good to me," Jiro shrugged, Yaoyorozu nodding her head in agreement with her friend.
"I hope they have some fish options as well." Asui hoped.
"As long as it's cheap I don't care where we eat!" Ochaco clasped her hands together excitedly. Money had been a touchy subject growing up with her parents working themselves ragged to provide for the family so every time she had to spend money it was always the cheapest option.
"You know the company covers the meals, Ochaco, there's no need to be stingy with the money. We gotta send Daddy Bakugo all of our expenses! If that includes a giant shopping spree for new outfits, fancy dining, or private jet rides then so be it!" Mina pumped her fists into the air enthusiastically at the thought of stressing Bakugo out with heavy expenses. Granted they were partially covered by their steadily climbing income but still. By the end of the year she hoped to have his blond hair turned grey from stress.
"Daddy Bakugo? Does he know you call him that?" Kirishima stifled his laugh when the pinkette rounded on him with fists on her hips. Her stern stare soon turned mischievous when she winked before skipping ahead of the rest of the girls, Kaminari and Ojiro altering their positions to cover more of the front. "If he hears you call him that—"
"Oh I know he'll go apeshit over it which is why I'm now plotting on finding the perfect opportunity to call him that. You two seem to be close, want in on it?"
"Don't fall for it, Kirishima, Mina likes to grate on his nerves. It's something they've done since we joined Dynamight Records six months ago. Those two have argued some way or another every chance they got. They're at the point where Mina is trying to even the score against him but she lost again today so now it's about one hundred and eighty-seven to zero." Jiro easily brushed off the slipped finger thrown her way with a shrug. If Mina was going to go after the attractive bodyguard then she was going to have her fun with it.
"I've known Bakugo for a long time so I understand how explosive his personality can be…alright, why not. Get me in on this deal, Miss Ashido. I think he can do with some insults himself every now and then." Kirishima agreed easily much to the girls' surprise. With a whoop whoop Mina skipped back to him before holding her hands up for a double high five. The redhead obliged and the two fell into sync while chatting about how to get him back.
"Wow. I don't know how to feel about this. My best friend is betraying me for some hot bodyguard we just met? My heart can't take this pain," Toru feigned pain with a hand to her heart. Ochaco and Asui shared a glance before taking either arm of the blonde, holding onto her tightly.
"Don't worry, you've got better friends who won't abandon you for some fancily dressed, spikey haired bodyguard. You'll always have us, Toru!" Ochaco giggled before pulling the blonde towards the distracted Mina with Asui easily keeping speed for surprise attack. Just a second away from disaster Mina glanced back to see what the commotion was about and shrieked when the three girls latched onto her then took off down the sidewalk to separate the two.
"Target acquired! Jiro, Yaomomo, bring up the rear in case she escapes!" Asui called out as the trio struggled to keep the pinkette under control. The two remaining members merely chuckled before picking up their speed to enclose their circle. Kirishima shook his head before motioning to the other three guards to hang back a little bit. This area wasn't a heavy crime area or even really a busy one this time of day so he wasn't as concerned about guarding them every step of the way.
"We're turning right at the corner then stopping three shops down!" Sato called out to ensure the women didn't go the wrong direction. Jiro flashed him a thumbs up then relayed the information to the others. Kaminari matched his stride while keeping an eye on the punk rock girl, sunglasses tipped just the slightest bit down so he could get a better view.
"She's kinda cute, don't cha think? Definitely feeling that punk rock musician vibe from Miss Jiro."
"No flirting with the clients." Kirishima relayed Bakugo's words much to Kaminari's dismay.
"Could say the same thing about you, bro. Five minutes in and already getting close to her!" Ojiro pointed out, the other two eagerly nodding their agreements. The redhead waved off their remarks with a huff. They were acting like it was high school all over again, giving him shit on which girls were flirting with him for fun and which ones he should try dating.
"Just because we have a friend in common doesn't mean I'm flirting with her. And I'm getting close because I'm their bodyguard like you all are supposed to be. Who's supposed to be up there with them?"
"Ojiro's turn. I got stuck with parking lot duty while you three played chaperone. Plus we shouldn't stick Kaminari up there because he's going to try his stupid electrical pickup lines which, by the way, don't work. Any girl you've said them to literally left the room to get away from you." Sato snorted when the smaller man whacked him as hard as he could in the shoulder, only succeeding in bruising his fist. He took his physical strength seriously despite his baking and sweets addiction. Six days a week at the gym for at least a few hours to maintain his nearly hulking form. A lot of higher end celebrities and wealthy people often hired him for his personal protective services due to the sheer intimidation factor.
"We wouldn't Kaminari saying, 'I don't usually like being shocked, but when I saw you I was almost knocked off my feet!'"
The boys snickered when Kaminari made to flip them the bird until he got caught up on his own feet and stumbled before catching himself against a sign post. Ojiro caught up with the women just before they rounded the corner and escorted them to the restaurant. The drivers that had been following alongside the group picked up the speed to find parking spots nearby. Generally they just sat on the side of the street while U.A. Spice did their thing but this area was known to have horrible parking so they had to move ahead to park. The small comm in Kirishima's ear buzzed with a location once the three vehicles had found parking and he relayed the confirmation. Kaminari drew the short stick so he had to wait outside to deter any paparazzi or fans attempting to sneak into the hole in the wall restaurant. Lunch went smoothly until Ojiro noticed the host speaking secretively into the restaurants landline, her eyes widening in surprise as the blond martial artist stared her down just before she slammed the phone down on the receiver.
"Looks like we got a leaker. Let's get out of here before the paparazzi show up again. We'll have to put the sweets shop on hold until next time."
"I swear they've been hounding us more and more ever since we topped the charts. All they want are bad photos of us so they can plaster it across the front page, it's disgusting." Jiro rummaged around in her small backpack for her wallet to leave a tip for the server, lips pursed out of frustration when she couldn't dig it out fast enough to avoid the photography vultures. Before any of the other girls could pull out some bills, Kirishima slapped a hundred down in addition to the bill amount on the edge of the table. "Dang, you always carry that much money on you, Kirishima?"
"Normally no but Bakugo handed me a good stack to cover food and tips for the day. As much as I hate to admit it, even though he's got some attitude problems he knows how to take care of his people. Sato, you've got our orders ready?"
"Just need to grab it from the counter and then we're good." The hulking man shot a thumbs up then headed to the front desk to grab it.
"The cars should be pulling up now so when you're ready ladies we'll get you loaded up. Next is your two hour session back at the studio and from that point on Bakugo should be joining us for the rest of the schedule. He had some stuff to wrap up with one of his other clients." Kirishima and Ojiro helped them up one by one before falling in line to act as a buffer for overzealous fans hoping for a touch. Kaminari held the shop door open with his foot since his arm was spread out to stop some curious bystanders from running into the women. A few noticed who they were and instantly scrambled for their phones for pictures. Since Sato hadn't received the order yet the group decided to do a few photos and autographs for the eager fans.
A blonde girl with twin messy buns stood just towards the back of the crowd with shimmering, awestruck eyes and flushed cheeks. Ochaco felt someone staring so she looked around until the source was found, auburn locking onto golden for a few intense seconds. The girl made no effort to engage with them or even move in closer so it was a little odd that she was just standing there and staring yet the brunette made sure to acknowledge her presence with a smile and wave before being ushered into the SUV once more. Asui slid in after with Ojiro firmly shutting the door before moving to get into his seat. Sato emerged from the restaurant with three bags of food and quickly jumped into the first vehicle instead of the last one. All three SUV's pulled away from the curb with the studio as their destination. Ochaco glanced back to see if the girl was still there but there was no sign of her.
"No, no, no, no. I told you to really enunciate the hero part to bring it some bite. Try again from the beginning and make sure you really hit those beginning words. Adjust your mic upwards a bit, Cheeks, it's got a faulty cable and it's not picking up that well. The rest of you keep playing as you did." Bakugo ordered through the microphone in between bites of takeout, the boys all sitting in the recording booth chowing down on their well deserved meals. It took the girls a minute to readjust to the changes but as soon as they were ready he tapped the record button once more.
What am I to be?
What is my calling?
I gave up giving up, I'm ready to go!
The future's left unseen, it all depends on me
Put it on the line to follow my dream, yeah!
Tried all my life
I tried to find
Something that makes me hold on
And never let go! Oooh!
Hero too
I am a hero too
My heart is set
And I won't back down
Hero too, strength doesn't make a hero
True heroes (True heroes) stand up for what they believe
So wait and see
So wait and see
What do they think of me?
Who do they think I'll be?
I could not care less, I don't wanna know
Am I doing right?
Am I satisfied?
I wanna live my life like it's meant to be
Yeah!
Tried all my life
I've tried to find
Something that makes me hold on and never let go
Oh!
Hero too, I am a hero too
My heart is set (My heart is set) and I won't back down
Hero too, strength doesn't make a hero
True heroes (True heroes) stand up for what they believe
So wait and see
People will judge for no reason at all
Yeah, they might try
To say your dream's dumb, don't listen
They may look down on me and count me out
I'm going my own way
They may look down on me and count me out
I'm a hero, I've got music
Hero too, I am a hero too
My heart is set and I won't back down
Hero too, strength doesn't make a hero
True heroes stand up for what they believe (Yeah, I'll be!)
Hero too, I am a hero too
My heart is set (My heart is set) and I won't back down
Hero too, strength doesn't make a hero
True heroes (True heroes) stand up for what they believe
So wait and see
I have met so many heroes in my life
Gave me the strength and courage to survive
Gave me the power to smile everyday
Now it's my turn to be the one to make you smile
"Make sure to keep that bridge soft, Earphone, but hit those first letters with a bit of a bite. Keep it mellow and slower until you hit They look down on me then pick it up with a higher pitch each line. Good, good. Minor tweaks but not terrible today. The microphone Cheeks has isn't working too well but the replacement doesn't come in for another few days so we'll do another run then. Any questions or complaints?"
"Other than complaining about your attitude, Daddy Bakugo?" Mina purred into her microphone resting by her drum set and about lost it when Bakugo choked on his Lo Mein noodles, the recording booth silently exploding into chaos as the boys laughed so hard they fell off the couches. Bakugo hastily wiped the remnants from his face before slamming a finger down on the talk button to yell at the room of cackling girls.
"…fuck, don't ever say that again that's just wrong on so many levels. But FINE you get that one, Pinky, don't ever say I don't give you shit. Jesus what's wrong with you?"
"Thanks, Daddy Bakugo!"
"QUIT CALLING ME THAT!"
"Maybe that went a little too far, Mina," Yaoyorozu composed herself a bit more with a handkerchief to her face before shifting her attention to the keyboard resting at her waist. Jiro carefully set her guitar back in its holder, swiping the back of her hand against her forehead to remove the built up sweat. It was hard work trying to strum and sing but a childhood of musician parents seemed to be the magic trick. Asui and Toru set their guitars down while Ochaco picked up Mina's discarded drumsticks to set them back on the set. She was never any good at instruments so she mainly stuck to vocals and dancing.
"I'll admit it was an unexpected one but now he's going to be agitated more than ever. Good job with the Lo Mein though," Mina accepted the fist bump excitedly, jumping from person to person accepting their high fives or fist bumps before pressing herself against the booth glass.
"That's for insulting me about being hungover this morning! Hope you enjoyed that Lo Mein while you had the chance!" Bakugo slammed his middle finger against the window causing the pinkette to crack up once more, delicate arms wrapping around her waist as she dropped to the floor to roll around. Kirishima wiped the tears from his eyes while pushing himself back onto the couch with aching sides. Damn that was better than he expected. That spitfire sure knew how to get to the root of Bakugo's nerves better than he ever could.
"That meal is coming out of your paycheck!"
"You ladies need to pick out three different designs to represent U.A. Spice for the upcoming tour. Mr. Ishiyama based these samples on how you represent the band as a group and as individuals. Figure out which ones you want while I take care of the financial aspect of this visit." Bakugo pointed down at the aged wooden table lined with ten samples of poster styles before heading off to find the man himself. Immediate debates began over the fonts, colors, backgrounds, and even the amount of each poster.
"Twenty dollars? Isn't that a bit ridiculous for a piece of laminated paper?" Toru asked while holding up one to see it better. The plain white background was from a photoshoot done a few months into their partnership with Dynamight Records. They wore varying black and white outfits that seemed to reflect a mix of punk rock and modern Victorian. Each girl was posed in a different manner: Herself on the far left wearing a black high-waisted thick ruffle skirt, black tights and white sleeveless button up with arms up and body in a forward moving stance. Jiro beside her in a casual backwards lean with a hand on one hip and the other slouched back, a small hat angled crookedly on black locks. Mina stood out in her black stitched, white strapless mini dress, black boa around her neck and matching thigh high boots with a forward lean on the stool. Yaoyorozu had her shoulders back and right hand pressing against her stomach just above the seam of her ruffled skirt, the halter top dipping into a deep V with sheer lace covering the exposed flesh. Asui wore a sleeveless black dress with a white button up collar and bow complimented by two large poofy arm covers. Ochaco wore a sleeveless, white ruffled collared dress with a black bralette underneath and a pink choker. All had a pink lilies adorning their body in one way or another to represent beauty and virtue. Or so the photographer said, Toru couldn't exactly remember why they wore them.
"The amount of work that goes into these prints can definitely add up cost wise especially with the laminated paper. I've seen other JPOP groups sell their posters for at least thirty-five and up. Twenty may seem a little steep but factor all of the electricity, machine wear and tear, cost of supplies, time." Kaminari chimed in as he also looked over the posters, a hand against his chin in thought. He grabbed one up that displayed the band in all cheerleader outfits to appreciate it closer before Jiro snatched it right back with a dirty look aimed at his perverted face.
"I trust what Mr. Ishiyama prices the products out since he does the work of quite a few other bands like Phoenix Plight, Shadows Six, Real Steeled, and I think even Heavenly Ray before they disbanded due to ongoing conflicts with their signing agency." Yaoyorozu listed some of Mr. Ishiyama's clients on her fingers.
"Heavenly Ray? As in the former top charting Heavenly Ray? They consecutively ranked number one for over three years! No other JPOP group could knock them down no matter how hard they tried. They're one of the reasons I became a pop star," Mina excitedly flapped the posters grasped in both hands, an awestruck gleam in her golden eyes. Jiro carefully plucked the posters from her grasp before laying them back out on the table. "Mr. Ishiyama, did you seriously do work for Heavenly Ray?"
Mr. Ishiyama broke from the conversation with Bakugo to blink at her curiously, a calloused hand coming to rest against his scratchy beard while he searched his memories. "Heavenly Ray? Oh, you're talking about that infamous girl group from a few years ago. I did their posters and memorabilia, sure. May still have some of their merchandise they paid for but never picked up."
"PLEASE SHOW ME!"
"There she goes on another Heavenly Ray stunt again…" Jiro sighed when the pinkette bounced after the fast moving man. It took her nearly three weeks to get over their disband before she moved onto something else and now that it was brought up again…
"Forgive me, Jiro, I didn't mean to bring up the forbidden word." Yaoyorozu apologized with palms pressed together.
"I'm not watching over her again, remember what happened last time?" Ochaco pressed a finger against the tip of her nose as did Asui.
"Oh yeah. That was a lot of cleaning up…I'm not doing it either!" Toru slapped a finger to her nose leaving just the two black haired members to deal with the star obsessed pinkette. Jiro smiled apologetically at Yaoyorozu before following suit.
"I'll take responsibility for it since I started it." Yaoyorozu raised a hand up in shame, head dropped low in defeat. There was no escaping the rampage of a starstruck young woman with the mindset of a brick wall.
"Haven't you picked your posters yet? We ain't got all day especially if you need to swing by Hatsume's place." Bakugo barked from the opposite of the studio and the group quickly went back to picking out three poster styles. Kirishima let out a sigh. The man was practically a slave driver on his clients but it always seemed to work out in the end he supposed.
"Don't you think you're being too hard on those girls? I mean we've still got plenty of time until that dinner tonight. They'd have at least an hour and a half with Miss Hatsume to go over costume ideas." The blond sighed heavily with a finger pinching the bridge of his nose. It was almost a reactive gesture that happened when he was tired of people's talking.
"You idiot, do you realize how long it takes women to get ready for a formal dinner? At least an hour. Per. Given the fact that we're barely on schedule now with the added stop means they would have to start getting ready no later than four-thirty. Dinner is at six-thirty, if it takes them an hour and a half to get ready plus an addition fifteen to twenty minutes to get to the restaurant depending on traffic which will most likely be heavy since it's when people get off work. They've got another fifteen minutes here before we have to leave."
"Sure thing, Daddy Bakugo!"
"I will fucking kill you, Kirishima!"
Ochaco stared at herself in the mirror a bit unsurely while twirling the excess fabric back and forth to get a good feel for it. Hatsume was the definition of overboard when it came to designing exquisite pieces for her higher paying clients and the brunette wondered if the woman ever slept more than a few hours a night in order to crank her creations out. The dress itself was one of the most gorgeous pieces she'd ever seen let alone worn out in public. Black and navy blue faded throughout the A-line dress in a seamless transition while layers of glittered tulle rested on top to pull together a galaxy inspired dress custom made to fit her rather curvy body. Thin straps kept the corset top up over her generous chest while adorning puffs of tulle banded her arms to accent the main piece. It was surprisingly light for all of the material and laid evenly above the toe of her matching heels. Even though Bakugo said it was a formal dinner meeting with the manager of the event centers this felt more like a red carpet event dress.
"Oh my gawd…Ochaco! You look like a hottie galactic goddess!" Mina gawked in awe before doing full circles around the brunette to better study the outfit for the evening. Heat rushed her face when the other girls entered her room after hearing Mina's cry so she covered her face with both hands. They all surrounded her with curious fingers grabbing the material and complimenting everything from style to fit. "Hatsume really outdid herself this time! You're going to make all of your fans drop to their knees and worship you! Maybe even pick up a hottie for yourself?"
"It really does suit you, Ochaco. I'm amazed at how easily Hatsume can create custom pieces that match our personalities so easily." Asui gently grabbed her friend's hands away from her face encouragingly.
"I feel it's a little over the top for just a formal dinner…my parents were never rich growing up and it just feels weird to suddenly be living a higher life." Ochaco muttered with a nervous laugh after glancing at herself in the mirror once more. Her friends all surrounded her in a loving circle and she straightened up just a little more as the nerves fell away. There was no need to be so nervous around them, they were always there for support no matter what so she would keep her head high.
"Nonsense! We're meeting with a very important business partner who will be managing our venues for the duration of our tour. It's best to create a lasting first impression with those we'll be working with closely and besides, Le Paradis Sucre is a very high end dining establishment that only wealthy and influential people can reserve. Mr. Bakugo told me it took him weeks of persuading just to get the owners to agree for a private event tonight just for us and Mr. Yamada. We all know how tenacious he is when it comes to getting what he wants." Yaoyorozu pointed out with a murmur of agreement. She adorned a tight fitting red, satin halter dress with a calf slit on both sides and matching red heels. A triple layered silver necklace graced her elegant neck with a pearl centered on each chain. Waterfall earrings complimented the stunningly elegant outfit. Formal attire and grace came naturally to the heiress of an well renowned international trading company.
"I can agree with Ochaco, this does feel a bit excessive for even a private event." Jiro nervously twirled stretched earlobes, an unsettled frown tugging at her face. A smoky grey tulle gown shifted with each nervous movement she took, the normally punk rock woman feeling out of place in such an expensive and formal gown. Intricate half sleeve lace sheened over the smooth bust fabric with a lightly jeweled belt resting just under her bust before the remaining fabric gently angled out to stop below knee level. Casual taupe flats paired with a set of matching gloves completed the plain yet fashionable outfit.
"But don't we look so bomb? I'll bet those photographers will be tripping over themselves just to get a front page picture!" Toru twirled around excitedly. A shimmering purple ombre gown hugged her curves with a curtain of fabric dipping across her chest before flaring out over her biceps, a matching piece of fabric acting as a belt creating a focal point on her narrow waist. The flowy tulle swished and swayed as her heels clacked across the hardwood floors of Ochaco's room.
"I have to admit, even I'm beginning to like this fancy apparel and I'm not one for dressing up." Asui said while giving herself another look over in the mirror. An emerald silk dress wrapped loosely over her body with three-quarter flutter sleeves and silk belt that trailed down most of her leg. The loose design of the dress allowed for a leg slit on whichever side the wearer chose, opening up multiple options of styling while remaining unique to Asui. Tan pumps boosted her up in height while also showing off her toned legs.
"I say we party this night up!" Mina cheered before latching onto the girls excitedly with a big grin. A classic black, off the shoulder V-necked gown hugged her body tightly and revealed a single toned leg peeking out between the pieces of fabric. A chunky diamond choker dipped dangerously close to her pushed up breasts and a complimenting bracelet and earring set closed the look. Black high heels with red undersides pulled off the very sexy look and Ochaco briefly wondered if she was trying to show off to her current favorite bodyguard.
"You're not allowed to drink, Pinky," Bakugo stood in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest as he quickly studied their outfits for approval. A grimace graced his face once he looked at Mina's outfit but ultimately let it go since there was no telling that woman what to do. At least she didn't have her ass hanging out. This time. They still had about half an hour before the limos arrived to take them to the party yet none of them had their hair or makeup done. Normally they would handle it themselves but considering this was a televised event, he'd called in the professionals.
"Oh come on, let us live a little! It's not every day we get to go to the fanciest restaurant in the entire city! Just one? I promise not to go overboard! Toru can watch me!" Mina begged her boss though he merely sneered with a shake of his head. Toru whacked her friend lightly on the arm in protest of her assigned duty.
"You about lost your control last night when your tour was announced on TV. What makes you think I'm going to let you run rampant when there are going to be photographers and news stations watching your every move?"
"Wait, this is televised? Live? Why didn't you tell us before?!" Toru screeched with hands tangling anxiously in her blonde locks. Bakugo sighed heavily. He didn't get paid nearly enough to deal with divas.
"Because I knew you would lose your shit like this but if I didn't mention it then there was the risk of you embarrassing the company on television. There are going to be big names there in addition to Mr. Yamada like Shield Laboratories, Phantom Records, Starlight Cosmetics and more. Now if you're done playing dress up you six need to get to the hair and makeup specialists waiting in the common room. We've only got half an hour before the limos arrive so hurry up."
Much to Ochaco's surprise the teams of stylists worked quickly to finish up their looks for the evening and after looking in the mirror when they were done, she could barely recognize herself. Nearly shoulder length chestnut locks were curled, twisted, and pinned up into a sort of messy bun with two good sized tendrils framing her face. An ornate floral clip delicately tied in with the brown locks to bring a softer appearance overall. Lightly shimmering eyeshadow, mascara, and a soft coral colored lipstick completed Ochaco's formal outfit for the evening. The other girls looked fantastic as well and soon the phones were out to capture some selfies to post on their social media accounts.
"Ladies, your chaperones for the evening have arrived." Kirishima announced grandly once they'd all gathered in the entryway of their shared homestead. Mina immediately latched onto his arm with a sneaky wink back at the other ladies before practically dragging him out the door without another word. Ojiro, Sato, Kaminari and a few other bodyguards escorted the rest of them out without incident. Toru and Asui paired up with Ojiro, Yaoyorozu went with someone named Todoroki, Jiro begrudgingly got stuck with Kaminari much to her immense displeasure, and she had a nice guy named Sero who had just been recruited for the event.
Obviously security had been beefed up since it was a hot event for the year and everyone wanted to gain access for one reason or another. Bakugo stood outside by the limousine in a sharp black suit with a crimson red button up underneath, his usual angry expression replaced with a more neutral yet alert one. Understandably his demeanor had changed due to the high level of stress this dinner and meeting brought to the table, their JPOP careers depending on the boost of marketing for continued success. "I've already gotten word from Deku that someone leaked to the outside press that you six would be there so security has been beefed up for this reason. You are going to have at least one bodyguard per person and a handful more scattered throughout the event. Normally I wouldn't bother with such a high-end place that has hired some of their own muscle but with so many famous companies there it's better safe than sorry. They won't be your shadows but if something goes wrong then figure out a way to communicate with them silently, do a hair tuck or whatever you girls do. Police have the street blocked off but they know we're coming so let's load up and go."
"Thanks for always thinking of us, Daddy Bakugo!" Mina blew him a kiss as Kirishima opened the door for her to enter the limo, his eye instantly twitching at the degrading nickname. Surprisingly he kept his cool as they all loaded up until he slid in behind them and slammed the door shut, silently fuming with a glare aimed at the pinkette who merely grinned before turning to gossip with her friends.
"Get going, driver."
Even before the vehicle stopped camera lenses were being pressed against the heavily tinted glass in hopes of sneaking photos of the celebrities, countless people calling out their names for attention. A black SUV to the front and back of them stopped before Kirishima and the other guards jumped out to push the ruthless photographers back. Bakugo swiftly exited the vehicle to assist with crowd control, his barking tone intimidating the weaker photographers into backing off while the more experienced ones stood their ground to get the shot. Once they were roughly shoved aside by the defensive blond the door opened and immediately flashes of lights blinded the women as they tried to get out. Ochaco filed out last with the help of Sero before being ushered down the rolled out red carpet, camera vultures straining against the velvet ropes barely containing them. Asui waited for her then the two walked towards the opened doors together with arms linked.
"Ochaco, Asui, over here! You ladies look gorgeous tonight, are you wearing Hatsume?"
"Mina, Toru, gives us a sexy pose with your new guys!"
"You look stunning as always, Yaoyorozu! Please give us a photo!"
"You look super cool, Jiro! Give us a smile?"
"They're a bit crazy tonight," Asui commented while blinking the spots from her dark eyes, a hand raising to try and shield from any more damage. Ochaco nodded in agreement. Once they reached the doors they all released a breath of relief, the doors shutting and locking behind them with two guards stationed in case someone tried to sneak in. A grand staircase roped off with a plaque engraved with Reserved was promptly unlatched by a man dressed to the nines with coattails and white gloves, then the ascent to the second level began much to the dread of the JPOP group.
"Stairs and heels don't really mix," Ochaco puffed a bit as Sero escorted her up the seemingly endless stairs with a steady arm. The brunette kept a bunch of fabric bunched up in one hand while looking down to make sure she didn't trip over her own feet like she often did. Growing up she was always covered in bruises thanks to her clumsiness that her mother claimed was just apart of being a child. Twenty-one years into life and Ochaco had figured out it was purely genetics.
"I agree, Miss Uraraka, though the restaurant doesn't seem to have any elevators available for private usage. I'll do my best to make sure you arrive safe and sound at the top." Sero told her confidently.
"Thank you, Sero,"
As soon as the brunette hit the top step with a heavy exhale she straightened up to begin the night of professionalism and grace. Servants walked around with trays of drinks, appetizers, and she was pretty sure there were a few people walking around with deserts that made her mouth water. Bakugo waved them over to a corner where she assumed Mr. Yamada was waiting so she rejoined the other girls and headed over there. The stares from everyone in the room nearly burned a hole through all of the hairspray keeping her hair together but she just focused on what was in front of her instead. The stares were normal. Everywhere they went someone was always staring, whether it be from their sometimes eccentric outfits or the fact that they were overnight celebrities charting number one for weeks on end. Sometimes they were friendly stares, mainly curious ones, though on occasion there were the…stronger stares that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Those were the ones that made her hyperaware of the people around her.
"This is Mr. Yamada, ladies, he's the one who will be coordinating the event centers during your tour across Tokyo and surrounding cities. Mr. Yamada may I introduce U.A. Spice's members: Momo Yaoyorozu, Kyoka Jiro, Mina Ashido, Toru Hagakure, Tsuyu Asui, and Ochaco Uraraka." Bakugo gestured to each woman as they bowed in greeting while the blond event center coordinator lowered his shaded specs to get a better gander. Once they were all upright again the man stood from his chair and before anyone could react he threw his arms out wide with two big thumbs up and a wide grin.
"Yo, ladies! Pleasure to meet you! I'm Hizashi Yamada and I'm going to be your event center coordinator during your tour, ya dig?"
"I like your energy!" Mina beamed excitedly with fists clenched excitedly at her chest. "I can tell you're going to be an awesome manager!"
"That's right! I'm here to make sure everything goes as smooth as butter so you six can climb the ladders to success! My company owns over fifty large-scale venues across Japan so wherever you wanna do a show all you have to do is reach out to me so I can get you set up. I'm sure you want all of the boring little details about the setup but I can discuss that with your employer here while you all go enjoy yourselves. Go mingle with some of the top name brand companies in all of Japan and be sure to get yourself known to them to boost your publicity and credentials! Present Mic parties are known for their taste!"
"Present Mic?" Asui asked curiously with a finger against her lips. Ever since she was little the gesture had been habitual and even after growing into a young woman it showed up out of habit. Yamada nodded eagerly in the process of plopping himself back down into his chair, a leg casually thrown over the other one.
"Just like how you girls have codenames I've got an alter ego that likes to par-tay! Now go on, there's plenty of snacks and treats and drinks to share! Bakugo my man we have a lot to talk about!"
"I can't wait." Bakugo quickly shooed them off before taking a chair to endure the theatrical performance of Hizashi Yamada.
"I'm starved! Where are those snacks at?" Ochaco quickly scanned the room for the long anticipated evening meal, sharp auburn orbs locking in on a table past a large crowd of people. The problem was, as soon as they started moving from the corner of the room all eyes were on them. Photographers began snapping away and moving in groups to cover the women at all angles much to their dismay. Other people began swarming them as soon as they noticed the commotion going on. The bodyguards promptly swooped in to disperse the crowd and create space between the popstars, photographers, and overzealous JPOP fans.
"C'mon, back up and give them some space! There'll be plenty of time for pictures and autographs towards the end of the night, but right now they just want some food!" Kirishima groaned as the surge of people grew larger by the minute. The group was huddled together with their backs inward to better protect themselves but the crowd didn't seem to care. Wasn't this supposed to be a civilized party?
"I'm sorry for interrupting but please give them some space to move about! There is a designated timeslot for everyone to meet them so please be respectful of their private time! This is a highly established restaurant and I would hate for the owners to get involved! Thank you!" A loud, confident voice fell over the crowd causing a handful of people to murmur before they all began to fall away into different areas of the event floor. Ochaco let out a sigh of relief with a slump against Asui, the two leaning on each other for support. Somehow it'd gotten out of control in a matter of seconds and even the bodyguards seemed a bit confused on how it happened.
"Sheesh, what was that all about? They were like ravenous wolves," Jiro scoffed with a twirl of her earlobes, the once cheerful expression on her face now the slightest bit sour. The others agreed though remained silent. It was bound to happen anywhere they went but a private event just seemed a bit excessive.
"Man, am I glad to see you! Did you finally finish up the Shield Laboratories job?" Kirishima straightened his suit out before waving to the stranger amongst the throng of people. The rest of the bodyguards seemed to relax a bit more once everyone thinned out and Ochaco stood up straight, hands running down the fabric to straighten out any wrinkles. This was certainly turning into an interesting day, now about those deserts wandering around with her name on them…
Ochaco instinctively knew what was about to happen when the fabric of her dress tugged sharply under the toe of the heels she'd been wearing for all of half an hour. Apparently Hatsume had miscalculated on her level of clumsiness as the brunette moved her arms out to catch herself on the pristine marble floors. It was going to hurt, no denying that, and surely the photographers would catch the picture of a lifetime to stamp on the front page. At least she made it to the top before crashing down onto the cold, hard marble floors of unfairness. A strong pair of hands suddenly grasped her upper body from behind and halted her slow, dramatic fall with ease. Auburn eyes blinked once, twice, three times before Ochaco finally had the nerve to look back at her savior.
"Oh my gosh, are you okay? Are you hurt at all?"
"Y-yes, thank you. I'm just a bit clumsy at times. Forgive me." Ochaco was carefully set upright on her feet before the arms released and she turned around. A black suit, dark green button up shirt beneath, and a small golden pin on the collar symbolizing he worked for Kirishima's agency. He was fairly tall and almost seemed lanky but if he'd just caught her like it was nothing then surely he had some muscle under the dark colors, especially if he was associated with Kirishima. "I'm so sorry for making you catch me, the hem of my dress caught under my toe and I tripped. I hope you didn't hurt yourself trying to catch me."
"Oh no, it was nothing really! I was making my way over here and kind of saw it happening so my body moved before I could stop it. I didn't hurt your arms grabbing you, did I?" Virescent eyes, matching messy locks, freckles on both cheeks and a boyish face. If he hadn't been wearing the company uniform then she would've assumed he was a high schooler or barely college aged.
"N-no, I'm not hurt at all aside from my pride. I'm Ochaco Uraraka, nice to meet you." Ochaco held out a dainty hand to shake his stronger, scarred up one. He didn't seem like the fighting type but it was best not to judge a book by its cover. His hand lightly connected with hers for a firm handshake accompanied by a friendly smile that caused her heart to momentarily forget how to beat properly.
"I'm Izuku, Izuku Midoriya."
