A/N: I had this idea for a while but was INSANELY busy this week so I only got a chance to write yesterday. Somehow managed to finish this in a day, which is rare for me, and edited it this morning. Despite how quickly I finished it I'm pleased with this chapter! Hope you enjoy it :) It's partially set in one of the locations for the ending theme: Kyaranko Beach!
Also this chapter contains slight spoilers for Episodes 3 and 4 (in case you haven't seen them), just so you know! Specifically, it explicitly reveals episode 3's opening premise, and hints at the ending of episode 4.
Chapter 5: Have Some Pride
Under the shade of a parasol I watch Tae carry Lily and Sakura off into the ocean.
Beside me Junko asks, "Is this really okay?"
"Pfft," I scoff, "Tae can carry ten times their weight, easy. That girl's a fucking tank."
"No…" she replies, "I'm talking about the performance."
At that moment Tae spots something, maybe a fish. Fangs bared she makes a dive, and I hear Lily scream as she's plunged head first into the cold sea water.
"Oh, right."
Junko's been worried ever since Shades carted Ai off to do her solo shit. I mean hey, can't deny the girl's got talent, but shouldn't she be here with us rather than promoting onions? Don't get it twisted though, I'm not worried — not even a little bit. Franchouchou may not know how to tear up the roads, but every one of these girls knows how to tear it up on the stage. If we have to do it one member down, then I know we can.
But Junko… she's a soft girl. Fluffy as her marshmallow hair, and joined at the hip to Ai. You don't need a gaydar to know what's going on there. A pair of working eyes will do it. Like, there's being gay, and then there's Junko. It's no wonder she's losing her mind at having to do all this shit without her other half.
Junko stares at her bare feet, "I'm not used to working in a group. There's no way I can manage this without Ai."
"Come on Junko, this 'I only fly solo' routine made sense last year, but I've seen what we can do together."
Junko traces a line in the sand with her big toe.
I sigh, "Look, I get it alright? A lot of shit has changed since the 80s. Hell, a lot of shit has changed since the 90s, too. I know it seems hard for us, but think about Yugiri. You think she's used to any of this shit? Damn right she isn't. You wouldn't know it though, would you? I mean just look at her! She's living her best life."
Yugiri strolls along the beach blissfully unaware of our conversation, walking Romero with her opium stick in hand.
"You're right," Junko admits, pressing her face into her knees, "I wish I had her confidence."
"That's not what I meant."
"Maybe I should go back. If I brainstorm hard enough we can-"
"It took us almost an hour to hike to this fucking beach. Do you really wanna go back already, by yourself?"
"Mmm…"
I pick up a bottle of freshly-vended ice tea, carefully placed next to the waterproof shoe polish we used to seal our makeup on, and chug down half of it in one go. In the distance a sea wall crosses the horizon, lined with hordes of glittering fishing rods. We're the only ones here for the beach. Everyone else is too busy fishing and being old.
Am I old, technically?
I think about it for a second, then confidently conclude:
Nah.
I say, "That's exactly why I brought us here."
Junko looks at me, perplexed.
"To de-stress," I explain, "You're hitting your head against a wall and wondering why it hurts. Sometimes you gotta step back. Or smash the wall to pieces."
"That sounds rather violent."
"I'm just saying you need to chill, alright? Seriously. Like…" I down some more ice tea and pray that words will find their way into my empty head.
"It's like… fishing," I begin, staring at the rods assembled on the sea wall, "Sometimes you've gotta wait a bit, you know?"
She nods, furrowing her brows in deep thought, "Like fishing… yes…"
"That fish ain't gonna bite just cos you're in a hurry. Once the bait's in you just gotta sit there."
"I understand now."
I don't hide my shock, "You do?"
For the first time all day she smiles, "I do. Thank you Saki-san."
I grin, "If you wanna thank me, go enjoy yourself."
She turns to the ocean, "Don't you want to swim too?"
"Nah," I reply, admiring Sakura's swimsuit, "I've got a good view from here."
Junko giggles. I pretend to be angry, "Something funny?"
She waves me off, "Oh it's nothing."
"Nothing my ass. C'mon, spill it."
She stands up, "I think I'll take your advice now."
I tut, "Gonna leave me hanging, huh?"
She does exactly that. As she reaches the water's edge I lift my ice tea to my lips and go for one last swig. But it's already empty.
"Damn. Now I ain't got an excuse."
A smooth voice asks, "An excuse to what?"
I look up to see Yugiri's smiling face.
"Yo, big sis! You done walking Romero already?"
She sits down and watches me with those mysterious eyes of hers, "I thought you'd be in the water with Sakura-han."
"I'm happy just watching."
Something in her expression tells me she knows I'm lying. I add, "Seriously," as if that'll help, but it doesn't.
She gazes out at the ocean, "I have a swimsuit you could borrow."
I smirk, "I'm uh, not sure it'd fit…you feel me?"
"Oh, I didn't realise you had the same problem Lily-han has."
"What? No. No that's, you've got totally the wrong idea."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Saki-han."
"It ain't an issue of shame, sis, it's — you know what… don't worry about it."
I watch as Junko tiptoes into the Lily-Sakura-Tae dogpile. I've gotta admit, it does look fun.
Yugiri puffs on her opium and strokes Romero's head, "It was a long time before I learned to swim."
"Oh yeah?" I reply cautiously.
"I didn't need to learn, but," she pauses, a hint of a smile crossing her lips, "you can never have too many tricks up your sleeve."
Somehow she finds a way to make that sound supremely ominous. I try to change topic, "Sick weather we've got today, huh?"
"People didn't approve of me swimming in the river," she continues, ignoring me, "But the summers were so hot. I needed to do it, even if just to cool down."
"People don't approve of a lot of shit. Fuck 'em."
"I've been privy to a great many pleasures of the flesh in my life, but none can compare to the ecstasy of fresh water coursing over my skin."
I raise an eyebrow, "Ecstasy, huh?"
Yugiri looks me dead in the eyes, "Beyond compare."
"Sounds nice."
She returns to her opium, "It's never too late to learn, Saki-han."
I don't reply. Somehow, without me saying anything, Yugiri figured out that I can't swim.
Fucking hell, Yugiri. You're sexy, good at dancing, good at singing, presumably good at fucking, and now you're telling me you're psychic, too? Save some superpowers for the rest of us, damn it.
Climbing to my feet I sigh, "Alright, alright! You win this time, sis."
I can hear the laughter in her voice, "Have fun. I'll be watching."
"Good evening Saga! It's that time of the week again for the prefecture's number one talk show: So Saga Can Be Saga. I'm your host, Franchouchou's 'Number 2', along with Number 6 and of course, Zero."
Tae gives the mic an affectionate lick.
"Now I'm sure you've all heard that Iron Frill will be performing at Saga Arena, but did ya know that Franchouchou will be there too? That's right, baby! We're technically just the opening act, but you best believe we're gonna steal the whole god damn show! There are still tickets available so if you haven't got one already, get your ass online and buy that shit, pronto."
Lily feeds Tae some dried squid. I rifle through the pile of newspapers and letters sitting behind my mic and spot a topic I simply cannot resist. Lily squints at me as I slap the paper down on the table and say the magic words, "Speaking of huge events, how about Kyushu Rainbow Pride?"
The guys in the back eye me up nervously. I ignore them, "I hear Tokyo got over one-hundred and fifty thousand people this year. I'm not gonna be satisfied till we do better. I know we've got a few months till our one goes down, but you can never start preparing too early."
Lily leans towards the mic, the star in her hair twinkling under the studio lights, "Let's show the whole world how proud we are!"
"That's the spirit, Shrimpy!"
Her smile is as radiant as I've ever seen it. She's in full idol mode, "If we all come together and celebrate all the unique things that make us who we are, we can sparkle as bright as the starlit sky! So please come to the event! Then we can have a whole rainbow of people!"
I jump in, "But first, come to Iron Frill's concert, or I'll come to your house and kill you."
Lily pouts, "Ugh! You ruined it!"
"I ruined nothing! Time for a song… maybe uhhhh…."
"All Star, by Smash Mouth!"
I freeze, my jaw still hanging open, "…what? What is that, some western song?"
Lily gives me a smug grin, "You'll see."
"Uh-uh, I ain't gonna be trolled, Shrimpy. We are not playing whatever the fuck that is."
But it's too late, the song has already begun to roll. I prepare myself for some hot garbage, but then…
"This is actually… good?"
"Of course it is!"
"But why the hell do you know it?"
She winks, "I'm not just a pretty face."
I chuckle to myself.
I think my attitude is rubbing off on her. That, or she's been keeping her true power hidden from me this whole time. I'm not sure which is more terrifying.
Backstage on the night of the concert, as we stand waiting to give our opening performance, I give Junko a (controlled) clap on the back.
"I knew you'd think of something good. That rehearsal was fucking lit. How did you even come up with that?"
She looks at me, passion smouldering in her usually placid eyes, "I smashed through."
It takes me a moment to register what she said, "Smashed through, huh?"
"It's what Tatsumi-san told me to do."
I laugh out loud, "Well god damn! Shades actually gave some good advice for once in his life!"
Little did I know…
A/N: I know I'm late to pride month, but you can never have too much rainbow in your life.
