Strawberry Prince
Author's Note: Enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Yo-kai Watch franchise.
Summary:
Jiba Jinpei learns something new about Hebiyama Chiaki.
"Ahhhh! Look at all the Bizarre Man Beron merchandise! What should I buy? Should I buy this? Or this, and this, and this? Oh, I have to get this!" Jiba Jinpei hopped from aisle to aisle, racks filled to the extreme with second-hand goods from all the popular anime, manga, games, and idol groups.
There were figures and models. Posters and costumes. Clear files and t-shirts. Plushies and stickers.
Towels! They had towels with babes in bikinis printed on them!
Enra-sensei! Please let there be a towel with Enra-sensei! Jinpei pictured himself lying on top of a towel with a full-body scan of Enra-sensei on the front. At the beach. With Enra-sensei in the flesh, of course. Aha. Ehehehe.
Everything was neatly stocked by show/comic/game/group to make it easy to locate what interested you. Unfortunately, while the inventory was diverse and extensive, it wasn't nearly as complete. Not enough to include material of the school nurse!
This Animate just launched on campus, and already, the otaku of Y-Academy (of which there were a decent bunch) were flocking to the store to pick up their fought-over wares.
Shining Boy…Space Wars…Sailor Cuties…
"Koma-kun and Mataro would love these!" Jinpei grabbed three Beron keychains (two for his friends and one for himself), not bothering to skim the price tags. Reopening his eyes from his smilefest, he saw Hebiyama Chiaki skulking beside a display. "Oh! Senpai, you came too?"
Chiaki appeared prepared to spring out of his skin. Noteworthy, as he tended to dial back the volume when not belting out a tune on his guitar on stage, and because his hybrid snake physiology would probs enable him to shed his skin for real.
"Nothing. I'm –"
"StrawPri?" A question mark floated over Jinpei. "What's that?"
"Strawberry Prince…They're a boyband. Had a collab with NyaKB."
Jinpei had no notion of who they were. Upon hearing the name NyaKB though, a catlike alertness seized his soul. He didn't know why, but it was Jibanyan's unhealthy dedication to NyaKB overriding his reincarnation's motor control.
"Aren't these guys not your scene?" Jinpei judged based on their colour-coded avatars. "You're more rock, Senpai."
"I'm a Rinu fan," Chiaki responded after a pause.
"Rinu?"
"The guy in red. He has a great singing voice, and he's transgender."
"HE'S A TRANSFORMER?" Jinpei compacted himself into the shape of a semi-truck.
"Transgender."
"A TRANSLATOR?" Jinpei wore a fake mustache and started spouting foreign-sounding gibberish.
"Trans. Gender."
"What's that?"
"He was born a girl. I suppose I relate. We were both forced into bodies that don't reflect our true selves."
"I see." Jinpei nodded strongly in the most anime way possible. "I'm going to the regi! Should I getcha something? Is this badge OK?"
800 yen. Yes, Chiaki wanted it. If he didn't get it, he'd regret it!
"Thanks…That one's good."