Chapter IV: The Aftermath
The night grew darker and colder, and it did not made them feel any better.
Hotaru got arrested. The news hit like thunder, and left them feeling even more devastated. The show had to be cancelled, making them do what they hate most; disappointing their fans. Afterward they were being sent back to the hotel, waiting and anticipating, while Kyo and Sanada left with the policeman to the station, to check out Hotaru's condition.
It was unpleasant to wait, especially for such an event. They stayed in Bon's hotel room, still in their stage costume (I'm talking about Akari's glamorous pink kimono and make-up here), with unanswered questions in their mind.
Yuya was also deeply involved in this great depression. These last months, she had been really close with the band members, and Hotaru, though weird and impossible to understand, was surely one of her good friends. And this news just felt strange to her, as if she woke up from a nightmare and found out that it has came true. In fact, she actually tried to pinch herself a few times, just to make sure that it was all real. She just cannot wait for Sanada and Kyo to return, secretly hoping that they would return to tell them the news was a mistake. Or a fraud. Or anything else.
She took a look around the room. Akari laid himself on Bon's bed (in normal circumstances, he just would not do that) like a gigantic Barbie doll, his face could not be seen, but it is obvious that he still had the last traces of his tears (sniff, sniff). Akira also laid himself there, exactly beside Akari (it is also something we do not see everyday), listening to his iPod, trying to improve his mood with his favorite drug, music. Tora, who had been having a Bali-belly and had to stay in the hotel while everyone left to the venue, just entered the room. He had heard about the news and now decided to sit down and accompany them. While Bon himself sat on the couch, his eyes were closed but he did not seem to be asleep. And Yuya laid her head on Bon's huge shoulder, tired and craving for warmth.
Suddenly the door bell rang.
"Yes?" Yuya immediately jumped and ran to the door.
"It's us!" Sanada yelled happily, exactly as Yuya opened the door.
"Gosh, finally!" Akira woke with a start, pulling out his earphones in a way that made me jump, as if he was going to pull out his own ears.
Sanada sang along as he walked into the room, as if nothing happened. Kyo followed behind. He looked exhausted, and jumped straight away to Bon's bed.
"Kyo! Wait, don't fall asleep yet! What happened? Why is he singing?" Akira asked, shaking Kyo's body. Kyo just grunted.
"Kyo, please tell me that there is a good news," said Akari, stroking sleeping Kyo's hair in a goddess-like way (at least he thought so).
Sanada sat on the corner of the bed. "Actually, we have both good news and bad news."
Everyone went silent.
"They are?" asked Bon.
"Well, let's start from the good one first," Sanada said. Everyone held their breath. "The good news is… we've met Hotaru."
Everyone started to make these exciting, anticipating noises.
"And then?" Bon asked again.
"Which led to the bad news… well, it's true that he got arrested," Sanada continued, smiling.
Everyone went silent again.
Akira put his earphone back on his ears again. "Disappointing," he muttered, and laid himself down again.
Bon fixed his sitting position. "Look. The word 'Hotaru got arrested' is being said for at least two hundred times tonight…."
Akira interrupted. "It's not a word, it's a sentence."
"Whatever," said Bon, waving his hand. "You see, I believe that tonight everyone, everywhere in Japan… already knew that Hotaru got arrested. But my question is… what did he get arrested for?"
Everyone laid their eyes on Sanada, waiting for an answer. He then took a deep breath, and his face became serious for the first time. "OK, here's the full story…"
So it turned out that there was this gentleman called Mr. Shinrei, who lives in this single-storey house in a suburban area. Tonight, he returned home to found that the window of his bedroom had been broken. The room was in a mess, all his stuffs were upside down and the contents of his cupboard are everywhere. Suddenly he heard footsteps outside, so he ran to the garden, and found Hotaru there, climbing the fence, looking as if he was trying to escape. After a struggle (which involved pulling Hotaru's leg and rolling on the ground), he successfully caught Hotaru and called the police.
"Are you saying that Hotaru is being charged for robbery?" Bon asked.
"This Shinrei guy claimed that a silver watch and some cash went missing. And when they check out Hotaru's pocket, he had exactly the same amount of cash… and he was there, trying to ran away from the house… so…," Sanada explained. "But the watch was not found, though."
"That's not fair! He didn't even see him stealing it… It could be that he just happened to be in the wrong place, wrong time!" Akari shouted, pulling Sanada from behind, yelling to his face.
"Is there any better explanation why Hotaru was in that garden?" Sanada asked, still in an upside-down position.
Akari went silent, slowly releasing Sanada. "Well, no… but since it's Hotaru…."
Bon interrupted. "Is there any way that we can bail him out?"
Sanada sighed. He lifted his shoulders, and his hands moved around. "Even if we could, we don't have the money, Bonnie dear. All was spent for this tour, the promotional bits, the book project…," he glanced at Yuya as he said this, and she bent her head down, feeling slightly guilty.
"Never mind that, Sanada. Don't waste our money for a jerk like him."
Everyone started at such controversial, full-of-hatred comment, and was even more shocked when they found out that it was said by Akira. Even Kyo opened one of his eyes.
"What do you mean?" Sanada asked.
"Well, he has made a mistake, therefore should bear the consequences…," Akira said, taking off his earphone. "So, don't bail him out. Let him rot in that cell for bringing us into such great trouble."
Akari stood up. "How could you say that!"
"Akari, he's a criminal! He had brought such a disgrace to our band! Now people are going to think that we are nothing more than bunches of thugs…."
"I'm definitely not a thug, and I strongly believe that Hotaru isn't as well."
"Sorry, but reality proved otherwise," Akira said, looking cynical. Akari made a silent "What!?" as he made this statement.
Akira then turned to Kyo. "Kyo! Fire him, or at least suspend him for a while. We could always find a replacement. Even Sasuke would do just fine…."
"I can't believe this! You…," Akari yelled, and he jumped across the bed to hit Akira. Akira defended himself by holding Akari's hitting hand, and he kicked Akari until he fell off the bed. But Akari had not given up just yet; he stood up, pulled Akira to the floor, and somehow managed to pinned him down.
"How could you kick me like that!"
"What! You hit me first!"
Their fights got even more violent, and everyone but Kyo (who was still sleeping) jumped to their feet and struggled to separate them.
Yuya got in the way, trying hard to slip herself between them so that they would stop fighting. "Stop! Stop it, guys!"
But it did not work, and she finally took a very deep breath…
"STOP IT WILL YOU!!"
Everyone went silent. Akari released his hands from Akira's throat, and Akira choked.
"We're facing a situation and you… you… ah, I can't even say it!" Yuya looked as if she was going ripped her own head apart. "It's completely useless! Why don't you go and help the others think of what to do!?"
Then she sighed and went back to sit on the couch. "Even I feel concerned for the tour! I mean, what should we do without Hotaru?"
"Y'know what, Akira? The dogface's right…," Kyo's voice was finally heard. Everyone turned and found him getting up slowly, stretching his arms.
"What… you…," Yuya's emotion fired up again, but Kyo ignored it.
"We can't be sure whether he's guilty or not until it's been proven by the court," Kyo said, scratching one of his eyes. "We just don't know about it yet. So, until that time, he's still a part of us."
He then added, "And we have to postpone the tour, until the matter's settled. We should take care of things, we won't be able to focus."
There was a slight pause, but then everyone started to nod. "He's right."
Yuya dropped her jaw. Wow, she thought. That's wise.
Kyo then turned his attention to Akira. "Apart from that, Akira…," he yawned. "Trust your friend."
Their eyes met for quiet a long time, and there was something in Kyo's gaze that only Akira could understand. At first it looked as if he tried to refuse it; but then he actually bit his own lips and lowered his head.
During that single moment, Yuya thought that Kyo's eyes were gleaming with this scarlet shades again.
"Well… whatever," Akira muttered, getting up and returning to the bed. Kyo smirked.
Sanada clapped. "OK then! Everything's settled… That's all for today's meeting… Sleep tight, guys!" he then stood up to leave the room.
He walked out and closed the door, and afterward everyone could hear him yelled, "Jesus! I forgot to call Hotaru's family!"
*****
The morning sun had just risen, shining down on this two-storey, Japanese-style house somewhere in an alley in Shinjuku. It was a rather simple house, with its wooden sliding door and grey wall-paint, but very neatly arranged and had pots of luscious greens in its every corner.
Inside the house, Yuya Shiina could be seen entering the kitchen. Still in her favorite pink pajama, she made a bun on top of her head with a hairpin, then stood at the kitchen's door, looking all around. Then she sighed. "Time for breakfast!"
She first opened the fridge, and observed its contents with great care. Then she took out some eggs, a bottle of milk, and a pack of cheese. She moved to the stove's direction, doing some work there, and returned with two portions of scrambled egg. Soon, the toast was made, the coffee started to brew, and she went outside to get the newspaper.
Things had been like these in the past one week for Yuya. Ever since that fateful day, when the management team decided to postpone the tour due to Hotaru's arrest, Yuya and the others were being sent back to Tokyo, to return to normal, everyday life until an undecided time.
This is what she had doing every day, since she had no Project to do now; waking up early, making a proper meal for her brother, going grocery shopping, read a novel or two, cleaning up the house, get on the Net, putting on a facial mask. Actually, once she tried to go to her office, just to find something more rewarding to do. But when she got there, the editor-in-chief Mahiro was like, "What are you doing here? I've given you a leave so that you can write your new book, so go home and write one!" Usually she would be glad with the fact that her boss actually supported her other career, but seeing how the situation had turned out, it did not really feel like a blessing for her.
Meanwhile, the whole country was having this hysteria of Hotaru's arrest. Every time Yuya turned on the TV, she always found something new about it. The scenes of Hotaru being dragged around by policemen appeared on every newscast, and she just found out that there was actually this part where Hotaru lifted his handcuffed hands in front of the camera, as if trying to show the world that 'look, I got arrested!'. Even yesterday Mr. Shinrei was being interviewed ("Yes, I saw him trying to get out of my place… Something's wrong about the way he looked at me. Maybe he was drunk… Can't be too careful") and Yuya immediately felt distasted by the way he talked, and thought his hair looked awful. There was also this news about groups of young girls gathered in front of the police station and cried out Hotaru's name, and left flowers and letters for him. In fact, Yuya found this talk show for parents which discussed "the influence of rock music to teenager's violent behavior", with Hotaru being a perfect example.
But nothing could go as crazy as the tabloids. Every time she went to the supermarket, she always managed to stop at the newsstand, and was always shocked with what she found. The story had spiraled out of control; it is said that Hotaru is a drug addict (completed with a picture of him walking out of a night club with cigarette on his mouth, looking not so sober… but hey! Everyone looks like that after a night out), and that the band is seriously considering to break up (she sent a message to Sanada about this and he replied with nothing but this laughing smiley face). There was even one that claimed Hotaru as a part of a criminal syndicate!
That is why Yuya came back to the kitchen feeling relieved, as she had checked the newspaper as soon as it was thrown to her doorstep by the newsboy, and found nothing new about the issue. She then focused herself into setting the table for breakfast, and someone walked in.
"Hm… what's this delicious smell?"
Yuya lifted her head and found her brother, Nozomu, walking in. He had his tie on his neck, ready to be tied, and carried a briefcase and a white coat, ready to go to the hospital, where he worked as a pediatrician. Yuya smiled to him. "Scrambled egg and toast! It's been a while, huh?"
"Wow, maybe you should be unemployed more often, then I can get all these delicious meals every day," Nozomu muttered, putting his briefcase under the table.
"Right, and I'm going to be an angry old lady like that one we had for a neighbor," Yuya rolled her eyes, and as she said so, a loud yelling could be heard coming from their next door neighbor. They both laughed.
"So, how's your work?" Nozomu asked, slurping his cup of coffee.
"Ba-don?" Yuya mumbled, her mouth full of food.
"You know, your project. I mean, now that one of them is being arrested, and the tour's cancelled, how about the project? Are they still going to hire you, or is it postponed…," Nozomu explained.
Yuya swallowed her food. "Oh, that… Actually, I haven't talk to Kyo. There hasn't been any business talk ever since we returned to Tokyo," she answered. "Everyone is busy with Hotaru."
She then put her hands on the back of her head, and lean herself to the chair. Watching the morning light filling the room, making these beautiful, straight lines, her mind wandered. For a while, she forgot where she is, until her brother's voice broke in.
"Yuya, I'm talking to you."
"Oh, sorry," she said, returning to her original position. "Err… what was it?"
"I was wondering…," Nozomu walked to the sink as he said this. "How do you feel about this incident?"
"Terrible, that's for sure. My job vanished to the air just like that, and I had to spend a week becoming a boring person."
"Apart from that, what do you think about… err… what's the name?" Nozomu asked, washing his hands. "Ah, whatever. Do you think he's really guilty?"
Yuya went silent. She bent her head down, and her mind began to wander again. Ah, this question. She had been thinking about it some times, yet she never actually talk about it to anyone, not even her brother. Let alone anyone from The Shiseitens. But she need to get it off her chest…
She lifted her head, her green eyes look troubled. She seemed to be hesitating, but she said it anyway. "Well, honestly… well… I don't think he's guilty."
Nozomu closed the tap. He dried his hands with an old towel hanged near the sink, and stared at his sister long enough. His face made this concerned, thinking expression. "You really think so?"
Yuya fixed her sitting position. "Yeah. I've been thinking a lot lately. Well, it's true that based on the situation on the crime scene, it seems obvious that he's guilty," Yuya explained, suddenly feeling confident. "But… I don't know, Nii-san… I feel like… I know this guy, and something inside me is telling me that he wouldn't do anything like this. Well, he's a bit enigmatic, that's for sure, but I just can't see him doing it. I don't know."
"Maybe you just can't accept the fact that your friend is actually a criminal," Nozomu said, leaning to the sink.
"Actually, I'm not the only one who thinks so," Yuya said, thinking of Akari, and how he yelled to Sanada's face about how unfair the accusation is.
But then she smiled. "But… well, it's true, we'll never know!"
Nozomu smiled. "If he's really innocent, that's great. But if he's not… well, you had to learn to put up with it… Oh, it's time for me to go."
Yuya then walked out of the house to send her brother off. And when his car disappeared at the end of the alley, her mind began to wander again. But, Nii-san… I've learned that somehow, this something inside me is always worth to listen to.
Afternoon came, and Yuya found herself walking in the streets of Shibuya. She was wearing a trendy purple plaid shirt and black skinny pants, completed with matching flat shoes and leather bag. Her facial expression gave an impression that she was thinking hard, but seemed relieved when she saw this famous fast food restaurant. She got in, and her gaze search for a sight of Kyo.
He was found sitting in a table facing the window. Wearing a black T-shirt and leather jacket, completed with ripped jeans, he seemed to be enjoying his lunch quietly (cheeseburger, fries, iced tea). As she approached him, a teenage boy in high school uniform came up and asked for his autograph. He gave it and the teenager thanked him cheerfully.
"Kyo!" Yuya greeted him, giving her usual cheerful smile.
Kyo turned at her direction, and gave his usual smirk. "Oh, it's you, dogface."
Yuya's smile faded, and she stopped before Kyo's table. "Say that again and I'll leave this place."
"Geez. You're so not creative. You said the same thing when I called you this morning."
"Yes, 'cuz you keep on calling me 'dogface', and I decided it's what I'm going to do if you keep on doing it," Yuya said, sitting beside Kyo.
Kyo went quiet. He continued to munch his half-eaten cheeseburger, and when he had finished, his gaze fell at Yuya for a while, looking as if he was questioning Yuya's statement. "Dogface."
Yuya did not say anything, but looked as if she was going to hit Kyo with her shoe.
"I thought you're going to leave if I call you 'dogface'," Kyo said.
"Lucky for you, I have much more important things to do, so I'm not going to leave that easily," Yuya said, looking snobbish.
"Good," Kyo muttered. "Anyway, I got something for you."
Yuya almost fell from her chair. What?
"Hey, don't give me that look. Seriously, I got something for you," said Kyo, taking his black backpack out and started to search inside. He then found the thing he was looking for, and start making that billion-dollar smirk again. "Close your eyes."
Yuya made these weird moves with her lips, looking as if she was trying to say something, but her brain did not get it right. "Wow… this is… very unlikely… Thanks a lot, Kyo," said Yuya, still looking unsure. He's going to give something for me?
She then closed her eyes, and could feel Kyo's hands moving through her head. His hands accidentally touched her fine blonde hair, and… wow, it does not feel so bad. And then it felt as if something was put on top of her head (Wait. What's that?). She opened her eyes, and heard this clicking sound.
She blinked, and the first thing she saw was Kyo's cell phone, right in front of her face.
Huh?
"Hey, you look great," Kyo said, unable to hold his laughter.
Huh!!?
"No…," Yuya became panic as she realized that Kyo just took a picture of her WITHOUT her consent, started to made an effort to grab his cell phone away. Then she realized that there was something odd on top of her head.
She turned her head and stared at the window's glass, and almost die to see a bright, yellow paper crown on top of her head.
"What is this thing!?" she yelled, pointing at her own head.
"Oh, that? It's a bonus. I bought a burger, and they gave me a crown," Kyo smirked. "Looks great on you, Princess."
Yuya then roared to the sky, and acted as if she was possessed. She hit Kyo and forced him to handed her the cell phone, and deleted her picture right away. She also yelled about how he had made fun of her with the paper crown. Everyone in the restaurant stared at them, and many started to whisper to each other.
"Alright, alright! OK, stop playing around…," Kyo said, managing to save his cell phone (and the picture) from Yuya's attacks. "Let's talk about business…."
"It was YOU who was playing around!" Yuya shouted, taking the crown off. Then she took a deep breath, and stared at Kyo. "OK, how's Hotaru?"
"He's good. Just talked to him on the phone yesterday," Kyo answered. "Been playing Uno cards with his inmate, a bank-robber."
"Well, that's very… him," Yuya muttered. "And I'm here to talk about the continuity of the Project."
Kyo lit his cigarette. "Ah, the Project. It'll remain as usual. Just keep on doing it, but maybe you'll have to change the direction of the story…."
"No, that's not it. I mean… maybe we should cancel it. Or maybe postpone it for a while."
Kyo went silent. His eyed stared at Yuya's, and once again she caught the sight of these scarlet shades. "What are you saying?"
Yuya sighed. "Well… I remember that… previously Sanada said that you guys can't bail him out of jail… 'cuz you don't have money, and it was spent for the book project," she explained. "And since it's very important to have him out of jail… so… I wouldn't mind if my Project was postponed for a while. Well, I would mind, off course, having to spend another weeks doing nothing…."
She then sighed, and her bright green eyes stared at Kyo. Somehow, something in those eyes revealed a firm believe. Something she was really sure of. "I'd love to see Hotaru getting out of jail, and reunited with you guys."
Kyo examined the look in her eyes, then puffed his cigarette. "That's not going to happen."
"What!? Kyo, but…."
"Hotaru isn't going out of jail. And Book Project will go on. Period."
"Don't you want Hotaru to get out of jail!?"
"Well, who doesn't? But I'm a businessman, and I'm not going to change the direction I've chosen for my business just like that. Just keep on writing, dogface. Perhaps you could write about this incident as well."
Yuya started to look desperate. "Look, Kyo… I don't wanna see him there forever! I had these… feelings… that he's actually not guilty."
Kyo blew smokes from his mouth. Then he made that infamous smirk again. "Don't worry too much, dogface. He's still a part of The Shiseitens."
And Yuya was left to wonder about what the sentence actually meant, with that paper crown standing proudly on the table.
