Tuesday late evening, March 8th – Melbourne Australia
"You know… we actually do have enough time to change into the performance costumes." Suzume commented. She was sitting in one of the backstage prep rooms with the others as they waited their turn to be called on stage. In the original schedule, they would have had very little time between the red carpet walk and their stage performance with Aiko-chan. And, even though their red carpet walk had taken longer than expected, delays in the performance schedule had moved them back more than an hour from their original slot.
"No no… this is what Ryuuji-sama agreed to, so it's fine." Hisako was being much more supportive of Ryuuji than she normally was. But, there was an obvious reason for that. She was seated while Nanako and one of the designers reworked the elements of her dress that went around her shoulders. They discovered that, if she raised her arms above her head, many of the angular elements of the dress didn't fall back into place and the problem was the dresses weight distribution over the shoulders. To fix this, Nanako was standing in front of Hisako and bent over so that she could work closely on the shoulder piece. The designer was behind Hisako, and Deena was nearby to translate everything between Nanako and the Australian designer.
But the part of all this that was important to Hisako was that she was so wonderfully close to Nanako now. Nanako's face was just centimeters away and Hisako could see such lovely expressions of concentration with elements of excitement, fun, and determination. To Hisako, pictures of Nanako were never enough because her girlfriend's face was so expressive that a mere picture could capture only a single facet of her thousands of beautiful looks. Some of those looks, she got to see a lot of, but others… they were gems to behold. And now, was one of those times. Of course, there was more that interested Hisako as well. The gauzy yellow dress that Nanako was wearing was incredible on her and, because of the way she was bent over, Hisako could see down the front of the dress to Nanako's beautiful soft breasts that swayed freely inside that gauzy dress.
Swayed freely?
"Um… Nanako-chan. Um… you're not wearing a bra?" Hisako asked quietly. She knew the Australian designer wouldn't understand what she said, but she did hear an embarrassed gasp from Deena-chan.
"No. I didn't like the way I could see the lines of my bra or panties in this nice dress, so I took them off." Nanako replied without pausing her work on the shoulder piece.
"But but but… that means… you're not wearing panties either?" Hisako could feel her own excitement rising, even if Nanako could talk about this calmly.
"Nope. Just like a Yukata." Nanako said.
"Huh? Nanako-chan… you know that's just a joke, right? That girls don't wear any underwear under a Yukata. That's only a joke." Hisako sounded as if she were explaining something to a child or an incredibly naive person.
"I don't. And, even if other people do, I won't. I like it that way. Why?" Nanako now paused and turned to look into Hisako's dark purple eyes, "Does that bother you? Does it make you not like me as much – knowing that about me?"
"No I…" Hisako felt herself blush hard, now that Nanako's attention was focused on her. She could feel her heart beating hard in her chest and her hands twitched with the desire to reach out and pull the short purple haired girl down into her lap and kiss her long and hard. Finally breaking the eye contact, Hisako looked down at her trembling hands and pouted, "Nanako-chan, you shouldn't tease me so much."
"I'm not teasing you." Nanako said as she lifted Hisako's chin until they were looking into each other's eyes again. Then she told her tall girlfriend, "After the performance is over, I'll be counting on you to help me get out of this dress."
"Yes!" Hisako's voice sounded an octave higher than it usually did. The promise of revealing Nanako's beautiful nude form and perhaps… holding her in her arms – was too much for Hisako. Her knees felt weak and she was suddenly grateful that she was already sitting down.
Wow, I never would have imagined that it would be quiet little Nanako that would be the one to tame the wild Hisako. Ryuuji thought to himself. His mind conjured an image of Nanako in a circus animal trainer outfit, with a leash in her hand. At the other end of that leash was the tall Hisako in a leopard print body stocking. He vigorously shook his head as if trying to clear away an unnecessary thought bubble that was hovering around his head. When he looked up, he could see Ami regarding him with an amused expression.
"You were just visualizing something naughty involving a leash, weren't you?" Ami asked with a cocked eyebrow.
Ryuuji's jaw dropped and he worried if Ami had developed the ability to read his thoughts. That could be very, very dangerous!
"Oh my! I've known you this long and I never imagined you were that lewd." Ami's words might make you think she was disgusted, but her tone and her smirk screamed playfulness.
"I'm not that lewd!" Ryuuji was finally able to retort.
"Hmmm? But how lewd is that lewd?" Ami teased her husband.
"Huh, what do you mean?" Ryuuji was beginning to feel lost in this conversation.
"How do we know if my idea of that lewd is more lewd or less lewd than your idea of that lewd?" Ami knew that her response didn't really clear anything up.
"What? That doesn't even make any sense. Lewd is just lewd, isn't it?" Ryuuji asked.
"No. To some people, holding hands in public is lewd. But to other people, being tied up and whipped is just another form of love – and not lewd at all." Ami said. She had intended to get a strong blush out of Ryuuji, which she did, but an audible gasp revealed that Yuri-sensei had also heard her.
"Erk!" Yuri yelped as she felt a hand on her shoulder from behind her. She knew Ami and Ryuuji were behind her from the frighteningly embarrassing conversation she had just overheard. She hoped it was one of them since she knew that they were both too nice to try and tease her about something like this.
"Yuri-chan…" Yasuko's sing-song voice called out as the hands wrapped around Yuri and turned her so that they were both facing Ami and Ryuuji with Yasuko hugging the blushing teacher from behind.
"Ulp… Onee-chan?" Yuri responded nervously. Unlike Yasuko's son or daughter-in-law, the bold blond loved to tease Yuri. Sometimes, mercilessly.
"You had to take a bunch of those classes about understanding people when you were in college, right? I mean, you have to take those classes to be a good teacher, don't you?" Yasuko asked her son's former high school teacher.
"Uh, yes." she happily admitted. But her happiness was mostly from the relief that she wasn't being dragged into the previous conversation Ami had been having with Ryuuji.
"Good. Because… you see, I think Ryu-chan and Ami-chan need the help of a sensei to work something out." Yasuko said.
"Oh really? You know I'm always willing to help my students." Yuri was always glad to assist someone who desired knowledge, regardless of whether they were current or former students. And, she also liked to be counted on as a reliable sensei too.
"The question is: how do we know if Ami-chan's idea of that lewd is more lewd or less lewd than Ryu-chan's idea of that lewd? Can you think of any way we can find an answer to that question?" Yasuko asked with a broadening smile.
"Ack!" Yuri was trapped and she knew it. The subject itself sent her face into a full blush, but if Ami and Ryuuji were serious about finding an answer to this riddle, she had already said she would help. She tried to rationalize her way out of this embarrassing situation, "Um… I don't think I know enough about… lewd stuff, to be a good judge of what is or isn't lewd."
"But Yuri-chan, I asked you because you are a very lewd person!" Yasuko said innocently.
"Huh? What makes you think that I am so lewd?" Yuri demanded.
"Don't they say that very lewd people are always the most ticklish?" Yasuko asked as if trying to remember an old saying.
"No, I don't think that's how that old saying go… AAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Yuri's rebuttal turned into a shriek of surprised laughter as Yasuko's fingers found the most sensitive nerves along her ribs. Yuri tried to struggle away from the tickling onslaught, but there was no escaping Onee-chan's tickle attack.
#Five minutes!# someone shouted to everyone in the room from the doorway.
"Five minutes!" Deena instantly repeated in Japanese. Then to Nanako, she asked, "Will Hisako-chan's dress be ready in time?"
"Tell the designer that this looks good to me and I think we should be done in a minute." Nanako replied.
Hisako heard Deena translating Nanako's comment into English and wasn't expecting her girlfriend to suddenly lean in and give her a kiss. She was ready to share a long and passionate kiss with her lover, but it was only a brief one. And it left her hungry for more.
"I'll be watching from the side, you know." Nanako reminded Hisako.
"Yes." the tall model replied.
"You're going to be good and do your best for me, aren't you?" Nanako asked.
"Yes!" Hisako promised.
"All right then. Go out there and make a million new fans. Make me proud of you all over again." Nanako encouraged her girlfriend.
"I will!" Hisako promised. Then, all too quickly, she was at the side of the stage with Ami, Suzume, and Aiko-chan – and it was time to go on. For a moment her mind wondered at how this smaller, younger, and weaker girl had become like a senpai to her. But she didn't have long to muse about it. Their names were called and it was time to leave the shadow of the heavy curtains and dance out into the bright lights.
.
Sometimes, the older girls would come out first and then Aiko-chan would run out onto the stage. Other times, she would be the first one on stage and they would come to join her. But this time, they all went out together. There had been a few comments that their group looked like a little sister performing with her three older sisters. But the three models were so famous in Japan, that it was just a joke there. However, Australia was a new audience for them. Except for the few Aussies like Deena-chan, who were fans of Japanese culture, not many people in this country had ever heard of the Japanese singing stars. But, this was the big chance to change that. Deena had worked with Ryuuji to change a few of their more popular songs into English, but they had another trick to play too.
With the help of Ami's uncle at the talent management company, they had done a bit of research on the largest part of the audience of the big fashion show in Melbourne. For them, Deena and Ryuuji had translated into Japanese, a few songs that had been popular in Australia when that audience was a little younger. Their hope was that these were the kind of songs that most Australians would know by heart, and it would interest them to hear their songs in another language.
A few of the words didn't translate, which prompted Aiko-chan or Hisako to ask questions about the unfamiliar words. Ryuuji still remembered having to try and find the answers to such questions as, "What is a vegemite sandwich?" But, what bothered Ryuuji now was something that Yuri had just brought up. Both he and Deena thought it was a fun sounding song with lots of Australia references. They had never thought to research the lyrics to see if there were any deeper meaning to them.
"Ryuuji… that is a song about doing drugs while traveling across Europe and into India." Yuri told him as gently as she could, but it was too late to stop the performance. Yuri had never heard them practicing this song, so she didn't know Ryuuji was planning to use anything like this. "I'm sorry, Ryuuji. If I had known…"
"I'm sorry too." Deena was crestfallen, "I'm Australian… I've heard that song all my life, and I never knew that was what it was about."
"No… neither of you are to blame. I… I am the manager and I should have done the research." From the side stage, he looked out at the four girls happily singing the Japanese version of the song and letting the audience sing the chorus. They were having a really good time – both the girls and the audience. But it would be after the performance when the bad news would come. Maybe not the next day, or even a week. But eventually there would be questions about a pre-teen and a high school girl singing a 'drug song' or about the manager of those girls, and if he was fit for the job. Seeing the joy that Aiko-chan expressed as she bounced around the stage, he worried that this could all turn to tears so easily. Not for the first time, he worried - Maybe I'm not cut out for this after all.
"Ryu-chan…" Yasuko was the only one to ever call him that, but he also knew it was her from the warm hug she gave him from behind.
The others called it the Onee-chan hug, but he had grown up with that trouble-absolving embrace all his life and even now – he could feel the stress of the moment fading. Two years ago he would have struggled out of one of her hugs if she had given it to him in front of other people like this. But a lot had happened in two years and he had learned a lot about his mother's strength… and her love for her only son. He said nothing, but he put a hand over hers where it held him around the chest.
"Ryu-chan, tell me… how will you do it differently? You know, next time. So this doesn't happen again." Yasuko prompted him.
"I… I'll research every song before it gets added to the repertoire." Ryuuji said the responsible thing that came to his mind. It didn't bother him that it would be a lot of work, but he was still thinking of calling Ami's uncle and bowing out of this arrangement as a solution too.
"Oh? Isn't there someone that you know that already knows a lot about English language songs that could do that for you?" Yasuko suggested.
"Eh?" Ryuuji looked up and saw Yuri who also suddenly realized that Yasuko was talking about her. "Sensei… I don't want to trouble you with…"
"No! I mean, yes! It's okay, I'd love to do that." Back in college, Yuri had used popular English music as a way to better understand the language and the culture that she was studying. So, even if she didn't know the meaning of a particular song, she still had a head start on finding it. And, she had long ago discovered how much she enjoyed her association with this interesting group of friends. In her opinion, anything she could do to deepen those bonds would be a good thing. However, as much as she wanted to leave the conversation in a positive light, she had to ask him, "But more importantly, how are you going to fix this though?"
Ryuuji could see the regret in his former teacher's eyes. Regret that she had to do the responsible thing, and bring him down at such a cheerful moment. But it was also a clarion call for him to pull himself together and face his own responsibilities. His mind raced for an answer to his sensei's question. How can I fix this? Wait, I'm not thinking about this right. Yasuko and Yuri-sensei just showed me that I don't have to rely only on myself. I can rely on others that are able to help. But, who do I know that might have that kind of experience? Suddenly it hit him.
"Yes!" Ryuuji cried out and took a few steps away from the noise of the stage so he could make a call.
"He did it, he figured it out!" Yasuko was bouncing up and down with pride in her son.
"What? What did he figure out? Who is he calling?" Yuri was confused.
"I don't know, but just look at him!" Yasuko directed Yuri's attention at his broad back as he continued walking away from the stage and talking to someone. "He looks so confident and grown up when he does that! I just know he'll get it all worked out now."
"I hope you're right." Yuri was about to comment on how difficult it was to fix a public blunder when she paused in stunned disbelief at hearing her own name being called out… from the stage.
"YU-RI-SEN-SEI!" the call came from the big arena as all four girls called out to her from under the spotlights. To her horror, she saw Hisako wave to the audience and now her name was being called with the added boom of the audience as well.
.
Tuesday late evening, March 8th – Hisamitsu Estate
"Oh no." Taiga and Minori were able to get only those words out as they all sat stunned in their theater seats and watched the four girls get the crowd to yell along with them.
"YU-RI-SEN-SEI!"
"They can't… they can't be serious." The Major gasped as he worried for the sanity of his wife, if she were being subject to this much excitement. He knew she liked to be with them and was even able to handle the small amount of publicity that she had earned from her appearance in the magazine with Ami. But to be called out onto a stage in front of thousands… and before a televised audience that spanned the globe. He didn't think his wife could do it. However, his jaw dropped when he saw the side curtain flutter with movement.
Yasuko was pulling Yuri out onto the stage, much the same way that she had pulled her out of the limo back at the red carpet walk. As soon as they were visible, the television announcers made the connection and started laughing at the pair's antics. A moment later, the footage of their red carpet debut was replayed in a quarter of the screen as an explanation to the current audience. The Australian announcers were convinced that this was an act now. The fact that Yuri grasped for the stage curtain like a drowning person panicking for a rope, only added to the humor of their little show. The live audience seemed to love their impromptu performance too.
"Is… is sensei going to be okay?" Minori asked.
"I don't know." The Major answered honestly, his attention glued to the fiasco playing out on the big screen in front of him.
When she was finally out in the middle of the stage with the girls, there was a quick conversation between Aiko-chan and Yuri. Then Yuri turned and addressed the live band that was playing the instruments for their performance. They were set up in the back of the stage while the girls were performing in the front. The band played the intro to one of the girl's own songs, but they were playing it a lot slower than the way it was usually performed. They stopped and Yuri spoke with the girls and with the band once more. Now the band was playing it even more slowly and Aiko-chan gave a cheer to let them know that was what she wanted. As soon as that seemed to be resolved, Yuri tried to make a break for the curtains, but Yasuko caught her. The people running the lights must have decided that they were part of the act too – a pair of stage lights were now lighting up the pair. The crowd at the venue watched, the friends in the theater room at the Hisamitsu estate watched. Everyone held their breath as Yasuko started slow dancing with Yuri, to the song that was being performed.
Taiga recognized the lyrics almost instantly. She had read them before… a long time ago. In a notebook, in a box, in a closet, at the little house where Ryuuji and his mother used to live. They were words that had been written by a love smitten teenage boy for the girl that he would never have the courage to confess his love to. It wasn't a sad song though – at least, not the way it was usually performed. It was a light and bouncy song about how happy he would be… when they could someday be together. But, sung slowly like this, it became more of a ballad. Taiga bit her lip and looked sidelong over at Minori.
"This is one of Ryuuji's songs, isn't it?" Minori asked. Her usual smile was on her lips, but her eyes seemed to glisten a little more than usual.
"Yeah," Taiga thought of lying about it, but there was no point. None of them tried to hide where the songs came from and their origin. Minori would find out the truth sooner of later anyway.
"It's a nice song." Minori kept up her smile even when a tear slid down her cheek.
"Wow, I had no idea sensei could dance." Taiga said in an attempt to change the mood.
"Or Yasuko-san." Noto added.
"Oh, I always knew Ya-chan could dance." Taiga stopped short of mentioning the kind of dancing she knew that Yasuko could do… since Noto's grandmother and, more importantly, Yasuko's parents were also in the room.
The song came to an end and Yuri was, once again, going to try and make a dash to get off stage. But this time it would be Ami that would stop her.
#Thank you Australia!# the blue haired singer shouted into the microphone and got a huge return cheer.
"Your daughter certainly knows how to play the audience." Ryuuji's grandmother said to Anna.
"She didn't used to have that kind of courage. I think that your grandson had a hand in that." Anna returned the complement.
#Before they get off stage, I would like to introduce our two dancers.# Ami continued and everyone could see Yuri suddenly freeze as if someone had hit her 'pause' button. Ami walked over to them and stood between them. Linking her arms with both of them, she gave Yuri a firm tug to let her know she wasn't easily letting go.
"Ami… what are you doing?" Yuri asked in a trembling voice.
#In English, sensei.# Ami said with a smile. She knew that their conversation was being picked up by her microphone.
#Ami, what are you doing?# Yuri was so frightened that she didn't even question Ami's directive to converse in English.
#I'm introducing you.# Ami replied simply. Then she smiled when the audience laughed.
#Why are you introducing me?# Yuri squeaked.
#Sensei, you are on stage now. You can't leave the stage until after you have been properly introduced, right?# Ami made it sound like common knowledge.
#Oh… yes, of course.# Yuri's mind was in such a state of panic she probably would have agreed with anything Ami told her.
#As many of you know, sensei means 'teacher' and this lady was my teacher for my last two years in High School. She is Suzume's teacher now, and she is the tutor for all of us when we are away from our schools like we are now. Can I have a big round of applause for Yuri-sensei and for teachers everywhere!# Ami called out to the audience.
The audience responded with hearty enthusiasm and it took a few seconds before Ami could continue.
"Some of you out there may have a big sister. They come in all kinds but the one that everyone wishes they had is the one that is always there for you, always willing to listen to your troubles, always cheerful, and always ready to help. Her name is Yasuko, but we all call her Onee-chan, because she is the perfect big sister to all of us!" Ami then walked back to Aiko-chan and the others and introduced them to the audience.
The Major already had his phone in his hand before Yuri and Yasuko had made it off the stage.
"I hope she's okay." Minori said.
"What are you going to tell her?" Taiga asked.
"I… I don't know. I guess I'll ask her if she's okay." The Major was at a loss for what to say, but he knew he needed to call her.
"Major," Obāsama suggested to the bewildered man, "tell her that you saw her on television and that she was beautiful. You saw her dance and now you want to dance with her at your first opportunity."
"Yes… YES!" The Major's mental fog was gone. He keyed his phone to dial his wife and before leaving the room, bowed to the elderly woman and said, "Thank you Obāsama, that was perfect."
"That was amazing Obāsama. You told him exactly what he needed to say, to fix his wife." Noto said with admiration.
"It was nothing. Some problems are just easier to fix than others." Obāsama said, but she smiled at the complement nonetheless. The smile faded when she thought about poor Maya, still struggling with her postpartum depression. If only I could give you a simple solution to fix your wife, Noto-kun.
.
Wednesday morning, March 9th – Tokyo Station
The first run of the newest member of the Japan Rail East train fleet was to have an early start on it's maiden trip. Being the thorough person that she was, Umeko arrived two hours early to test herself on all that she had studied. Her juniors arrived an hour later and they went over everything again. By the time the train was ready to board, they all felt prepared. Their goal was to make this trip enjoyable, yet as uneventful as possible for their passengers.
Umeko had hit it off well with her coworkers and it wasn't long before they found their rhythm. Since it was the first time for the new train, many of the customers had questions about the train and the new Super-Green car itself. Questions were answered, food and drinks were served, and before she knew it, they were pulling into Shin-Aomori station.
Umeko and her crew would have a break while the train was serviced and made ready for the return trip to Tokyo. She took a seat in the crew lounge and pulled out her cell phone.
"Checking in with your boyfriend?" one of the girls asked.
"No boyfriend. I'm seeing how my little sister is doing." Umeko replied.
"Little sister?" the other girl asked.
"Yeah," Umeko pulled up the video from the previous night's concert and showed it to them, "She's the one with the long red hair."
"Minami Suzume is your sister?" both of the girls asked incredulously.
"Shh! Yes, but keep it down." Umeko said as she looked around at all the stared that the girl's outburst had caused.
"That's kinda unbelievable." the first girl still sounded shocked.
"Are you two… fans?" Umeko had watched her little sister's career steadily grow, but it grew slowly with Ryuuji's insistence that she still had her responsibilities as a student. And not just any student. He had got her enrolled at the impressive Meji School in Tokyo. Sometimes, Umeko wondered if her little sister might have already rocketed to superstar status under another manager, but her rational mind would kick in and remind her that Ryuuji-sama had a long term plan for all of them, and he was a much more reliable manager than most in the entertainment industry.
"Yes! I've been to one of their concerts and I can name all the members. The lead singer is Aiko-chan and she performs with Kawashima Ami, Kurosawa Hisako, and Minami…" the shorter of the two junior crewmembers proudly stated until she got to Suzume's name and realized that it was the same family name as the Minami-senpai sitting next to her now.
"Hello?' a voice came from Umeko's phone and she brought it to her ear, not realizing she had hit the call button.
"Suzume?" Umeko asked. The voice didn't sound like her sister.
"No, Umeko-san. Your sister is in the dressing room right now. This is Umeki. I can give her a message for you, if you like." the girl said in a helpful tone.
"Okay, well tell her that I miss her and to be careful. Australia is a dangerous place after all." Umeko said.
"Ah, well… I'll tell her that you miss her. But I can't tell her the rest." Umeki said apologetically.
"What? Why not?" Umeko was surprised at the younger girl's response. It also made her a bit upset with the girl. But before Umeki could respond, there was another voice in the background.
"Is that Suzume's nee-san? Give me the phone." Umeko heard a voice in the background and recognized Hisako's strong tone. She was going to ask why Umeki was being so obstinate – but she never got the chance.
"Umeko, listen up and listen good." Hisako spoke quickly and quietly as if she didn't want to get caught having this conversation, "Your constant badgering about how everywhere else in the world is dangerous and Japan is the only safe place, is really starting to aggravate your sister. So, if you don't want to create some distance between you and her, you'd better rein that shit in. You understand?"
"You…" You have no right to tell me how to care for my little sister! ...is what she wanted to say. But, on reflection, Hisako hadn't ordered her to stop it. The phrase was conditional; if she didn't want to create distance between herself and her sister – then she needed to stop harping on how foreign places are so dangerous. "I… didn't know it bothered her so much."
"Hey, where's my phone?" Suzume's voice could be heard in the background.
"Here you go." Hisako told her, "Your sister's on. I was just saying hi."
"Nee-san! I got your messages earlier. How was the new Super-Green Car? Was it really as nice as you thought it would be? Does the new train feel any different?" Umeko's little sister's voice sounded bubbly and excited. Suzume was obviously thrilled for her sister's promotion.
"It's very nice. Maybe you'll see it one day. But, more importantly… how is everything going there?" Are you keeping safe?
"Is Yuri-sensei keeping you up with your lessons?" Are you being careful?
"Are you eating well?" Are you only going places in groups?
"How is everyone else doing?" Umeko's fist clenched with the effort to hold her tongue on all the warnings she wanted to blurt out.
"Silly Nee-san! This is the break between grades, so we don't have any lessons to keep up on. But, Yuri-sensei is teaching us a lot of English since we're in a English speaking country. Oh, I wish you could have seen us last night… it was amazing!"
"I did see you last night." Umeko said.
"Huh?" Suzume couldn't believe what her sister had just said.
"I had to pay a little extra to the cable company, but I got the Australian channel that is hosting the show. You and Umeki-chan were very cute together. And your singing performance was wonderful too!" Umeko told her younger sister.
"Really!" Suzume almost shrieked. She was thinking that her sister was making it up until she mentioned that she had seen Umeki on the red carpet walk. Suzume was happily stunned; she had never expected anyone in Japan to be able to watch the show… at least not live.
Gong – ding – Gong!
"I have to go now. That was the alarm to announce that the crews need to return to the train." Umeko was getting up from the table, but took the time to tell her far away sister, "Suzume… I'm so proud of you."
.
Wednesday afternoon, March 9th – Melbourne Australia
Ryuuji was standing outside the cavernous dressing area where the designers were meeting with the models and deciding who they wanted for which showings. And it wasn't just Ami, Hisako, and Suzume either. There were hundreds of models behind those closed doors. It was something like watching sports teams choosing athletes for their rosters, except the models were very scantily clad so they could get into and out of different clothing items quickly. This he knew from long ago when he accompanied Ami to the modeling fair in Tokyo. The Melbourne show would last an entire week and it would be today that the models would get their assignments.
Hisako had approached this grimly, since this wasn't going to be a group job for all three of them. No, today they would be competing for slots against all the other models in the room – including their friends. And, it didn't sit well with Hisako. The wounds from being an outcast when teams were being chosen… were still too fresh. There was also the guilt she still felt from cheating Ami out of a job so many years ago.
Ryuuji had seen the haunted look in her eyes and wanted to do something, but this was an open audition for the models and there was little he could do. He tried to tell her that her chances were better since this was a foreign country and many of the designers wouldn't know anything about those old rumors… but that hadn't helped much.
So, Ryuuji waited to hear something from them with a handful of other male managers and guardians that had chosen not to trespass into the room of scantily clad models.
"Ryuuji Takasu?" a woman dressed in something that made her look as if a bunch of colorful fall leaves had been glued to her body by their stems.
"Um, yes… can I help you?" Ryuuji was glad he was wearing his mirror-shades since his eyes were all over the woman's body in an effort to figure out how she was wearing the leaves.
"Come with me." she snapped as she took his arm and marched off down the hallway – away from the door that lead to his charges.
"But…" Ryuuji wanted to tell her that he needed to wait by the door for the girls.
"Yeah yeah… this will only take a minute." the woman pulled him into a small room.
Maintenance Office was written on the door of the room, but there was nothing in the room but a chair and another door. A rather powerful looking man was sitting in the chair and reading a newspaper as they walked past. He glanced over the top of the newspaper but didn't make any other move.
#This one's with me Max.# the leaf woman said as she opened the other door and pulled Ryuuji through and into… the place where he should not trespass.
Ryuuji almost fell when he realized where he was. This was the staging and selection area and it was an incredibly busy place. Assistants were running here and there with colorful dresses, packages, or food. Designers were trying things, changing things, and making the selections that would give them a win or a lose, on the runways of the next several days. And the models…
"The mirror-shades will help so the girls don't get creeped that you're checking them out, but try to keep your mouth closed." the leaf woman told him as they walked past models that weren't even scantily clad. Many of them were topless and some were completely nude.
"I'll be okay." Ryuuji thanked the stars that his voice didn't catch when he rebuked her little insult.
"Oho, so you're going to tell me that you're not going to turn into a dazzled farm boy?" the leaf woman asked with a sly grin.
"I'm married to Kawashima Ami." Ryuuji forced the woman to stop and look at him while he defended his character, "And, I've been teased by Kurosawa Hisako. This much I can handle easily."
"Okay then," the leaf woman said after a moment of considering him. Then she pulled him through a last curtain were he found all of the girls he was responsible for… surrounded by several teams of designers. And it was all of them too. Aiko-chan, Umeki, Nanako, Yuri-sensei, and Yasuko were supposed to only be there for moral support… but they were in states of undress or fashion dress too.
"What?" Ryuuji barely avoided gaping when he saw his topless mother helping a nude Aiko-chan into something that looked like a fairy princess dress.
"Do your magic, manager-san." the leaf lady said as she walked over to help with the fairy princess outfit.
"Ryuuji! I'm glad you're here." Deena came over to him quickly. Of all his female friends in the room, she was the only one that was still wearing all of her clothes.
"What's going on?" Ryuuji asked. He noticed that Ami and Hisako were also coming over to him. Although Ami was also naked, he had seen her that way many times and wasn't terribly surprised.
"I'm sorry! I didn't know what to do." Deena apologized and seemed to be at her wits end.
"Hey," Ryuuji reached up and patted the platinum blond head in a comforting way. She was almost ten centimeters taller than him and four years older, but at the moment she seemed like a scared little sister that needed some confidence, "You're doing great. They are all safe. Nobody is hurt or even upset… from what I can see."
"Th… thank you, Ryuuji-sama." Deena said as Ami arrived.
"Do you have your cell phone on you?" Ami asked.
"Yeah," he was reaching into his pocket and was going to hand it to her. But that didn't seem to be her intention.
"You're gonna need to call my uncle and work some things out with him." Ami was about to explain but Ryuuji waved off the long story.
"They want everyone to dress up again, don't they?" Ryuuji asked, but he already knew the answer. As soon as he saw Deena's head nod he asked, "Is this what everyone wants to do? I'm okay with it as long as no-one is being forced to do something they don't want to do."
"Everyone's okay…" Ami started to say, but Hisako stopped her.
"You might want to have a talk with your mother." Hisako looked like she was betraying a friend by telling Ryuuji this, but she couldn't overlook her concern, "She's pushing Yuri… pretty hard."
"Let me… talk to Yuri-sensei. Then I'll call your uncle." he told Ami.
"I'll take you." Deena took his arm and moved in close to him. Sure, he was shorter than her, but she could feel the strength in that arm and she basked in the confidence he seemed to radiate. Or at least, she thought he did.
Ryuuji honestly felt that Deena was a little close. But Ami gave him an amused smile with a little wave as she went back to the swarm of designers with Hisako. He could tell that Deena was feeling nervous from being so far out of her element in this place, so he accepted her arm and moved through the room with her until they got to Yuri.
.
Yuri was miserable. She desperately wanted to get out of this, but Yasuko wouldn't hear of it. Her Onee-chan had insisted that she at least try. And that had hit home. Many times she had told a frightened or discouraged student that they should try to do their best. She looked at herself in the full length tri-fold mirror as the assistants removed the latest garment from her. She stood there in nothing but her panties. Even her bra had been removed. The bra had been appropriate for a school teacher, but it didn't work at all with the fashions she was being asked to wear.
On the positive side, her body was back into being in the best shape it had been in her life. Yasuko had targeted the fat she had gained during her pregnancy, with vigorous exercise. And, as expected, Yasuko's efforts had made for some amazing results. Yuri and Ami both had been subject to Onee-chan's aggressive regimen. There had been many times that she had wanted to give up, but it wasn't in Yasuko's nature to leave her little sisters alone. In the end, it had been easier to give in to Onee-chan's urging. And, in the end, Yasuko had actually pushed both of them into better health and better shape than they had ever been in before.
Or, at least Yuri thought she looked better than ever before. And her husband seemed to agree. But that was the problem. With the revealing clothes they were asking her to wear, everyone would be seeing her figure… and she didn't know if it was really good enough for that. She imagined that many people would wonder why an old schoolmarm like her would think that she could stand alongside real models.
"Sensei?" Ryuuji's voice called to her.
In her fugue, she turned to see him there with Deena. He was just standing there. With his mirror-shades on, she couldn't tell if he was looking at her. But why should he. Married to someone like Kawashima Ami, why would he look at an old…
"Yasuko was right, you're really beautiful." Ryuuji said softly.
"Huh?" Yuri snapped out of her melancholy and realized that she was standing before him in nothing but her panties. With one hand trying to cover her breasts and another trying to cover her panties, she cried out an "Eep! Ryuuji, what are you doing here?"
"Sensei, in the next few minutes, I will be calling Ami's uncle at the agency. It's going to be a lot of work for them, but they are going to get all the agreements in place for all of you to… temporarily… work as models. But, I wanted to know if this is something you don't want to do. I don't want you to do it because Yasuko is pushing you… and then regret it later."
"So, you think I shouldn't do it." Yuri said emotionlessly, but her heart felt a little dejected at the judgment.
"Not at all. You are certainly beautiful enough to do it. The question is… how will it make you feel? It's not worth it, if it fills you with regret." Ryuuji said, in an attempt to correct Yuri's confusion.
"Really? You think that… someone like me… could do this?" Yuri's emotionless voice was gone. It trembled a bit, and her heart was filled with hope.
"Yes, but only if it is something that you like… or something that you want to do." Ryuuji was going to tell her that she shouldn't let anyone push her into this – not even Yasuko. But he stopped when he saw a single tear trace down her cheek.
"I… I don't hate the idea." Yuri bit her lip and summoned up her courage. Hands balled into fists and thrust down by her sides, her eyes closed tight as she cried out, "I'll do it!"
"All right!" Ryuuji cheered the usually timid teacher on. Then, since she had lowered her arms in her excitement, he got a good look at her and asked, "Sensei, I didn't remember your breasts being that large?"
"Yeah… that happened during the pregnancy. They'll probably get smaller after I finish breastfeeding." Yuri said as she looked down at her larger breasts while hefting them in her small hands to better examine their fullness. Suddenly it dawned on her that she was again standing in front of Ryuuji, in nothing but her panties. This time it was worse as she was actually putting her naked breasts on display for a former student to gaze upon. Her face blushed a dangerous red as she screamed, "Ah, Ryuuji!"
.
Wednesday afternoon, March 9th – Hisamitsu Estate
There had been a light snow the day before, but the sky had cleared up to a cloudless blue. The air was still cold, but it had a crispness to it that promised some good riding weather. Taiga and Minori were looking forward to it more than anyone else. Minori's natural athleticism allowed her to quickly learn the equestrian skills she needed. In no time at all, she was now riding one of the younger and healthier horses that could keep up with Taiga and Midnight Star. Of course, she was riding in the much easier to learn, Western style – since there were no other horses there that were trained to ride English, but that didn't matter to her. As long as she could keep up with Taiga, she was happy.
Emerging from the barn, Noto and Maya watched the two cavorting around the small pasture on their horses. Noto had a moment of joy as he envisioned a future where he and Maya would be coming out of the barn to see their daughters riding their horses around the pasture and having as much fun as Taiga and Minori were having.
"Can't you just see Ayame and Kiku doing that?" Noto asked his wife.
"Doing what?" Maya realized that she had been having a long blink. She shook her head a bit to try to rid herself of the sleepiness.
"Having fun on horseback. I would never have imagined Aisaka Taiga as an equestrian, but look at her! I hope our girl's can cut loose and enjoy riding as much as she does." Noto turned to his wife as he finished the sentence.
Maya couldn't hear Noto's words very well. They seemed muffled and everything seemed to be going dark. Sleepless nights and days of accumulated exhaustion finally caught up with Maya.
"Maya!" Noto cried out. He had looked at her just in time to see her eyes roll up and her listless body fall out of the saddle. Fortunately, her leg was caught in the stirrups or her head and neck would have crashed into the cold, hard ground. Noto lurched to grab at her, but the move startled the horse he was on and it plodded away from the stricken woman. One of the hands from the barn was running out to help, but it was Taiga and Minori who got there first. Minori pulled Maya's unconscious body up and Taiga freed her leg from the stirrup.
"What happened?" Minori asked while she handed Maya's body down to the hand.
"I… I don't know. I was talking to her and she just passed out." Noto said.
"She hasn't been sleeping well." Shinako commented. "It may just be a case of exhaustion. I will take her inside and look after her."
"I should…" Noto started to object, but Shinako cut him off.
"Not this time, Noto-sama. I would like to give Maya-chan the opportunity for some woman-to-woman talk. You will certainly be needed later, but let me do this for now." Shinako insisted.
"Well then… I will leave her in your care for now. Thank you Shinako-san." Noto made a bow from atop his horse and watched the elder cousin walk back to the house. She had been the family troubleshooter long enough that she had a reputation for being cold and utterly without compassion. But she had also been looking after Obāsama's health all that time and had been her staunch ally. In the vast Hisamitsu family, only Noto knew that she was truly a warm and very kind person. He had no doubts that Maya would be well cared for in Shinako's hands.
.
In the barn, The Major was about to mount his horse when he saw the stable-hand carrying Maya back on the way to the house. Right behind the man was Shinako. She seemed deeply concerned, but she smiled when she noticed The Major looking at her.
"Is there anything I can do?" The Major asked.
"Yes. Make sure Noto has a good time with his friends. There may be many difficult days ahead for him, so I want him to have as many good memories as he can, for now." Shinako said with a faltering smile.
"Understood. And… good luck." The Major had read between the lines and knew what Shinako was facing. Besides the grandmother, Noto and Maya were the only people in the family that were truly nice to her. But it might not be so for much longer. Maya's condition had worsened to the point that she almost hurt herself. Shinako could no longer watch and wait.
No matter how much Maya didn't want to talk about it, her option for silence was no longer acceptable. It was time for Maya to talk, even if she had to be… coerced.
Once again, Shinako would take on the responsibility of… the troubleshooter.
.
Wednesday afternoon, March 9th – Sendai Japan
The southbound bullet train was nearing it's stop at Sendai when everyone's cell phone went off at once. It was common courtesy to mute your cell phone on the trains, but there are some things that push through the user controls to make sure the message is delivered. From the tone alone, many people recognized the warning: earthquake.
Umeko was one of those people who knew what the sound meant and she knew what would happen next. Being the most seismically active country in the world, Japan had built a lot of protections into their rail system. When a significant quake was detected, the electricity was cut off from the train lines and every train in the region would simply come to a stop. In many cases, the trains were stopped before the first tremors were felt. Most of the passengers had been through this before, but a few looked startled.
"May I have your attention?" Umeko called out to the passengers just as the train began decelerating, "Please remain calm and seated. The train will automatically come to a stop during the event. As soon as it is safe, we will be on our way again. Thank you."
"Are you sure?" a man was showing his phone to her, "It's reported that this is a seven point three magnitude quake!"
"I am quite sure." Umeko said confidently.
"How… how can you be so sure?" the man wasn't demanding so much as pleading for something to prop up his courage.
"Several years ago, this system was put into place. As soon as a significant earthquake is detected, all the trains will automatically come to a stop. Since that time, do you know how many train passengers have died or even been injured as a result of an earthquake?" Umeko asked.
"N...no." the man admitted his ignorance and yet still felt comforted by the reassuring smile from the attendant.
"Not even one." Umeko saw the momentary look of disbelief in the man's face, but she was sure of her facts. In the whole country, there had not been a single earthquake related injury on a train, since the system had been put in place.
"Not even one?" the man repeated with growing courage.
"That's right. So, you can relax. We will soon be on our way again – just as soon as the tremors are over and it is deemed safe."
The center of the earthquake was, like so many others, over a hundred kilometers out to sea – to the East of Sendai. The seismic sensors reported that the quake had been fourteen kilometers under the Pacific Ocean, where the Pacific plate and the Eurasian plate met in a subduction zone. The consequences of two such massive plates colliding included disasters like volcanoes, earthquakes, and the tidal waves that could be caused by those earthquakes. But there were benefits too. Beautiful mountains, fertile valleys, and an abundance of hot springs were also the results of the crustal plates that had been crashing into each other for thousands upon thousands of years. The islands of Japan owed their very existence to those dangerous plate tectonics.
The inhabitants of those islands struggled to remember that such an existence is not without its dangers.
.
Thursday afternoon, March 10th – Hisamitsu Estate
Maya did not sleep well… again. The previous day's talk with Shinako ended, as expected, in tears. Having to explain her problem meant having to confront it. She didn't want to confront it. She desperately wanted to just sleep and forget about her failings as a woman, a wife, and a mother. No amount of wishing or praying seemed to help. She still could not see her own children as anything more than small creatures that suckled sustenance from her breasts… and turned it into poop. She tried to bond with them and wanted to feel something special so terribly much. But, it just wasn't there.
No affection.
No connection.
No love.
No happiness.
All of this, she had confessed to Shinako… despite her fear. She was afraid that Shinako or Obāsama would deem her unworthy.
Send her away.
Banish her from the family.
Get rid of her for the damaged goods that she was.
But Shinako hadn't done any of those things. She had even held Maya when she cried. Shinako had comforted her with forgiveness, but she had exacted a promise as Maya's penance.
"I will arrange for you to see a specialist. I will make sure that you go to your appointments." Shinako told the young mother, "But you must promise me that you will do whatever it takes to get better. If the doctor tells you to talk, you will bare your soul. You will hold nothing back. If the doctor tells you to exercise, you will exercise. If the doctor tells you to take medicine, you will take the medicine. You will do whatever it takes to get better. Can you promise me that?"
"Yes, Shinako-sama. I want to get better! I want to love my girls! I want to be a good mother so very very much!" Maya had bawled.
Maya remembered the conversation as if it were a dream. Can I really get better? Will I ever be able to love my daughters? And if I just fail again, then… then what? The tears began to fall again as Shinako came into the room.
"Ah Maya-chan, you are awake? Excellent, I have good news." Shinako smiled as she took Maya's hand.
"Oh?" Maya felt her outlook brighten a little with Shinako's smile and promise of something positive.
"Tomorrow holds much promise. I have found an excellent doctor who will see you tomorrow afternoon. He is in Osaka…" Shinako stopped when she felt the reaction of Maya's hand tightening in hers.
"That's… so far away." Maya said quietly. She would accept having to make the long trip, but it did rekindle the nightmarish fear of being sent away.
"Not at all." Shinako chuckled, "It will be like a school field trip."
"Huh?" Maya wasn't following her cousin-in-law's meaning.
"We will all be going with you." Shinako revealed with a smile.
"What? I don't want to inconvenience everyone. And… who will look after the babies?" Maya worried.
"They will be coming with us. But don't worry about an inconvenience. You and I will be the only ones to go to the doctor's office. The others will be visiting shrines and museums, and doing some shopping." Shinako explained.
"What about the babies?" Maya asked. The idea of having to carry four infants around a city's downtown area did not sound appealing to her.
"Did you not know that there is a shrine in Osaka dedicated to prayers for the health of infant children?" Shinako asked.
"They really have a shrine for that?" Maya's poor mood was muted by hearing such a surprising thing.
"It's Osaka!" Shinako laughed, "They have a shrine for everything!"
.
"Obāsama?" Noto called out as he entered the darkened room. It wasn't entirely dark. The curtains were opened a little and his grandmother was standing at the window, gazing out at the pasture covered in muddy snow.
"Noto-kun… do you know that I have never enjoyed the view out of this window as much as I have this last week." Obāsama commented. Her memory was replaying the very recent view of watching Noto and the others heading out for another ride up into the surrounding hills, or watching Taiga and Minori cavorting on horseback through the small pasture.
"Oh?" Noto was unsure whether he should say thank you or you're welcome for such a comment.
"You have made some very good friends, young Noto-kun. I am impressed." Obāsama finally turned to look at him as she moved over to her desk. "More-so that they are also intelligent and wise."
"The Major?" Noto asked. His brain had processed her comment quickly and matched it against his friends that were currently visiting. Taiga and Minori were both intelligent. They were doing well at their university and fairly quick on the uptake… but wise?
"Indeed." Obāsama picked up a note and told Noto, "All of the construction units…"
"Yes." Noto held up the tablet that he was seldom without, "All the construction units are making good time now. I believe we will be able to get a good jump on the construction of this project and impress the Yamada group as well."
"Very good." Obāsama was pleased that her grandson was keeping tabs on his first project so well. In fact, it might be time for him to get another experience that would be necessary for his development as her successor. She had already been considering this option for a while, but his diligence convinced her that he was ready for a little more. "There is something else I need you to do."
"Yes?" Noto knew he was being appraised even as his grandmother was asking him.
"The Mayor in Sendai will know about our heavy construction unit pulling out, but we desperately need that business. This project of yours isn't being funded by a patron, so it will be coming out of the family's coffers. To keep those coffers full enough to pay for our side of the deal with the Yamada group…" Obāsama was explaining, but Noto had already caught on.
"We really need that Sendai contract." Noto said grimly. The idea of draining the family's already meager coffers made him doubt his decision to jump at the Yamada offer. Perhaps I was too eager, too greedy. Maybe I should play it safe. No! I am convinced that the only way to save the family is to become aggressive. I must prove that taking the initiative can lead all of us to success.
"I understand that Shinako is arranging a little expedition to Osaka tomorrow?" Obāsama said, more than asked.
"Yes. The arrangement is that I will be entertaining our guests while Shinako takes Maya to see a specialist about her…" Noto couldn't finish. To some extent, he felt guilty for Maya's unhappiness. Going into the marriage, they had both known that his family wanted them to have children soon… and often. But, it might have been too soon. Maya might not have really been ready for that, and he had done nothing to slow down that goal. He constantly worried that there might have been a sign that he had missed. Something about her that was begging him to wait… and he had ignored it out of his own callousness or stupidity.
"Postpartum depression." Obāsama said the words clearly while watching Noto for his reaction. Then, in an imperious tone, she asked her doleful grandson, "Are you the kind of person that holds Maya-chan responsible for her condition?"
"No! I would never…" Noto rebuked the idea that he hated or blamed Maya for the troubles she was going through.
"Then, don't blame yourself either." Obāsama told him firmly.
"Yes, Obāsama." Noto bowed in gratitude to his grandmother. He knew what she was trying to instill in him, but it was hard to forgive himself completely.
"I want you to go out to Sendai. We need to give them some face time and let them know that we are still eager for their contract. Do you think you can do that?" Obāsama knew what she was asking of him. He had infant children, guests, and a wife in distress – that he would be leaving behind, to represent the interests of the Hisamitsu industrial business. It was a lot to ask of anyone, but for a young man who was not yet old enough to legally drink alcohol…
"Yes Obāsama, I can do that much." Noto said with determination.
.
Friday afternoon, March 11th – 25km Under the Pacific Ocean, 120km East of Sendai
The small island of Kinkasan is located a few kilometers off the coast of the Japanese mainland in the usually calm waters of the Pacific ocean. There are only a few dozen inhabitants that live on the island. Also on the island are several shrines, a few parks, and a seismometer. That important, scientific device picked up the earthquake that occurred that cold and overcast afternoon. This newly detected earthquake wasn't far from the location of the one that had occurred a few days before. It was a little closer and a little deeper, but that is not what made it so concerning. At an initial magnitude measurement of eight point nine, it was almost a hundred times more powerful than the previous earthquake of a few days ago.
The seismometer immediately sent out the signal to stop all the trains.
Flash messages went out to cell phone towers and local governments.
Less than a minute later, the first shocks were felt in the nearby city of Sendai.
A few seconds after that, people watched as tall buildings swayed in Tokyo.
And for hundreds of kilometers north and south of Sendai, coastal communities started to hear the warnings to evacuate the low lying areas in anticipation of the inevitable… tsunami.
.
.
Glossary
Aomori – The northernmost city on the main island of Honshu where the bullet train stops, before it dives into the undersea tunnel to connect to the next island (Hokkaido).
Obāsama - "grandmother" said very respectfully. In the story, this title is specifically used for Hisamitsu Noto's grandmother.
Osaka – A city west of Tokyo on a bay that connects to the Pacific Ocean. It is also close to the smaller island of Shikoku, which is where the prefecture of Tokushima can be found.
Sendai – A city north of Tokyo along the Pacific coast and about halfway to the northern tip of the main island of Honshu.
Vegemite – A thick black food spread made of vegetable, spice, and brewer's yeast. Popular in Australia.