Backstage Meeting

[anakiddwrites]

Kaoru stays until late night at the Underground Stage doing chores and have an unexpected meeting with Valkyrie, that goes better than expected for everyone.
[Enstars !era]

Kaoru’s shift in the underground stage was coming to an end once again. There were no major troubles through the day and he even managed to hold a nice conversation with a group of girls after the lives, collecting many smiles, laughs, winks, a couple of phone numbers… and maybe more audience to UNDEAD’s shows, since they looked very excited to know he was part of a rock-ish idol group full of hot guys. Sakuma-san would be proud, wouldn’t he? Nobody could say he wasn’t doing his part to keep UNDEAD shining, in his own way.

So, all things considered, he had all the reasons to be in the best of moods despite the light soreness claiming his body due the chores. But everything was worth it after be rewarded with so many smiles and spend a couple hours in peace of mind.

“A date after work would be totally perfect to end the day, but you can’t have everything, right right?~ And to be fair I’m tired enough to sleep all night, so…”

He stretched the muscles a bit, yawning, but the trail of musings was interrupted when his eyes caught an odd shape behind one of the closets, almost completely hidden by the darkness, a sight unexpected enough to make Kaoru get closer to check.

“What do we have here…~ oh?” He blinked, slightly surprised for find a stuffed toy laying on the floor like that. He grabbed and patted it softly, getting rid of a bit of dust and taking a closer look. It wasn’t new, but in very good conditions regardless. Not only that, but looked a bit familiar, too…

“Hmm… did I see you before, Fluffy-chan?” He frowned, more intrigued with the impression than with the fact it was dropped in there in the first place. Ok, as someone always wandering around arcades and playing crane games, he could have seen that design before - however, the memory was a bit more tangible than that, but not clear enough to provide a better answer.

“Whatever, I guess… I’ll just take you to Lost & Found…” Kaoru sighed, but gently craddled the toy in his arms, smiling at it and speaking in a happy voice tone. “If there is a cute girl out there crying for you, I hope she returns to look for you soon, ne~? I wonder if she is old enough to go on a date with me, hoho.”

He laughed of his own ideas - doesn’t hurt to be optimistic, right? To not mention it would be a romantic first meeting… but once he opened the room’s door, a painful lament echoing in the empty hallways froze him in place for a few seconds and threw the colorful fantasy far away. However, soon enough he recovered and speed up the pace in that direction, worried for real.

“H-hey…? Is someone hurt?” Despite how the situation suddenly looked creepy like a cliche horror movie, he was probably the only staff still at the workplace. If it was an emergency, he couldn’t waste time. “O-or is that a crow… kinda looks like a crow…” He mumbled, hearing the lament again, closer, instinctively hugging the plushie a bit tighter.

“Hey?!”

The laments and cries were growing louder at each step, paired with noises behind the only room with the door still partially open. Trying to ignore his heartbeats going faster and the slight cold sweat in his nape, Kaoru peeked through the small door’s gap into the room, not sure about what to expect.

“Hey…”?

He whispered, soon his eyes catching the situation of the partially iluminated room: a lot of objects and clothes scattered across the floor and a human figure crouched in the far corner, face buried behind the closet and shaking head in denial, looking hopeless. Before Kaoru could react properly, though, the mysterious person turned his head suddenly over his shoulders and a pair of huge, swallowed and two-toned pupils stared intensely at him.

Kaoru wasn’t as prepared as he wanted to believe, and screamed on top of his lungs before the surprising and considerably scary sight, holding the plushie as close as he could and jumping backwards. However, the culprit wasn’t, in fact, so different from him, screaming even louder and bumping his back on the closet, making it tremble and bounce a bit.

“I-I-I’m s-s-so s-sorry! S-sorry!” Contrary to whatever irrational fears going through Kaoru’s heart at the moment, the unknown boy - now he could see that much, at least - curled on himself, sobbing and protecting his own head, shaking more than before.

“Ah… ah?” After a moment, the heartbeats calming down and the eyes getting used to the bad ilumination, Kaoru could notice the other was a lot more scared of him than the opposite. He stepped into the room still careful, and actually concerned about whatever was happening.

“A…are you okey…? Are you…” He looked closer, tilting head a bit and calming down totally once he recognized the brown and red fancy uniform the boy was wearing. “Valkyrie… I guess…?”

“Hm?” Hearing the unit’s name, the boy immediately looked up to Kaoru with more curiosity than fear in his eyes - eyes that Kaoru could notice better now, were quite unique and visibly were shedding tears until now.

“You…” Mika blinked, tilting his head too and relaxing the defensive stance a bit. “I saw ya around before… I-”

Whatever he had to say, it was forgotten when he noticed the object in Kaoru’s hands, his hazel and blue pupils glowing bright and a large smile showing small fangs.

“Y-you have her! It’s here! Waaaa!!! I was so so worried, waaa~~~”

“Hey, hey, calm down, kid!” Kaoru took a few steps back when Mika suddenly stood up and jumped onto him with open arms, completely different from the scared cat of few moments ago. “I don’t like strangers coming close so suddenly, okey? Chill a bit, geez.”

“Ah? Ah! S-sorry, sorry! I didn’t want to startle ya…” Mika shrugged, genuinely embarrassed but still looking at the plushie kindly. “I was so desperate… I-I thought I had lost her! I could never forgive myself if I did, yanno~?”

“Ah. So is it yours?” Kaoru blinked and looked from the plushie to Mika again, finally understanding the circumstances. “There, there, you was lucky I found it. Don’t go losing your things again around here, okey?” He chuckled, then shrugged and handed it to the 2nd year without more questions. Not a cute girl, but at least he found the toy’s owner faster than expected.

“Thanks so so much!!!Ahhhhh~~” Mika welcomed the stuffed toy, snuggling it close and actually on the edge of tears. “I’m so sorry, I won’t lose you ever ever again! I’m sorry!” He looked to Kaoru again, sighing in relief. “Thanks so much for find her! I’m sorry the trouble! I really do! Is there something I can do to pay ya? I’ll do it in a second! Please tell me!”

“Hmm, no need to be so serious about it, ahaha~” Kaoru waved hands, actually a bit embarrassed at the boy being so serious over that small thing. He was the passionate type, then.

“I mean, you could clean the mess you did here, because… well, that would spare me some extra work, since my shift already ended, ehe.” He said casually, satisfied in just reinforce an obvious point.

“Ohh, so ya really work here? That’s why ya face wasn’t totally strange, ehe. I guess I saw ya around before… Ah! I will clean this mess in no time, I promise! I’m really sorry, yanno? T-that’s embarrassing, but I was so worried I wouldn’t find her…” He blushed, gazing gently at the toy for a few moments before look up to Kaoru again with a grateful smile shining his features.

“I’m Kagehira Mika from Valkyrie, by the way, like ya noticed! What’s your name?”

“I see, so you are really Itsuki’s kid. I see you both around frequently, not that I pay too much attention to other guys business…” He sighed, resting a hand on his hip. “I’m Hakaze Kaoru, by the way. I might forget your name soon, so don’t worry about it too much, kid.”

“Ehe! I’m not important, so it’s okey if you forget~” Mika smiled more, unaffected by Kaoru’s words, but blinking in curiosity when hearing his name. “Hakaze… I feel I heard this name before, yanno? That’s a bit strange, I’m bad with names, yanno? But sounds kinda familiar…”

“Did you?” Kaoru raised one eyebrow, a bit surprised, and scratched the back of his head. “Would Itsuki-kun mention it, perhaps? We aren’t… close friends or anything, though, just classmates. I don’t see other way, unless you mistook me with someone else. That would make sense, too.”

“Classmates, you say…?” Mika looked thoughtful for a few moments, then suddenly had an insight and leaned on Kaoru, excited as a puppy.

“AH! I know!!! I really know, ehe~! Yanno, Oshi-san brought me this plushie from the arcade some time ago and I was suuuuuuuuper happy, yanno??? Because Oshi-san gave it to me! And that’s why she is so important, ehe!” He hugged the toy, snuggling it and speaking in a gentle tone, then looking at Kaoru again.

“But he said other classmate won her in the crane game and didn’t need it, so he brought to me… that was the name, for sure! That’s why I remember, ehe~ So I guess I gotta thank ya twice, right? Since ya got her for me again tonight, ehe.”

“Oh…” Kaoru blinked, slowly putting together the pieces bit by bit, still processing Mika’s fast and excited speech. At the end of it he couldn’t help but open a sympathetic smile and ease his expression, remembering the arcade’s occasion and understanding why he had an odd impression when found the toy.

“Well, this explain things. You was lucky, huh~ Please take care to not lose her again, I might not be around a third time, you know. I suppose Itsuki-kun won’t like if you lose a gift he gave you too, right? Since it’s so important.”

Deep down, even if wasn’t a cute girl, Kaoru was happy and relieved the toy returned to the owner’s hands and was so cherished. He could even feel a bit jealous of the innocent affection that Mika had towards the plushie and Itsuki, too. His classmate was a lucky man.

“I won’t! I’m so sorry, ah… I’m sorry, Oshi-san…” Mika nodded very fast, hugging the toy even closer, wide eyes scared of just think of the possibility of lose it again. “I will be three times more careful from now on, and keep her safe! No, ten times, even! I promise you too, Hakaze-senpai!”

“I see, I see… you don’t need to promise me too, I only happened to be there when Itsuki-kun was in the crane game too. And… not like it’s my business, but… I mean, if she is so important, why wouldn’t you keep her at home? I guess it would be safer than here, where people walk around all the time.”

“Ah! That….” Mika blushed a bit, glancing away and taking a few moments to answer. “I-I always try my best, but… stage is scary, yanno? And usually I need to introduce our unit and say goodbye, since Oshi-san won’t do it… I want to do my best for Valkyrie, so… I keep her in our closet here, to cheer me up before the lives… I- I know it’s silly, but…”

“Oh. No, no, I understand, that’s not silly, I guess… ehe, you are really a sincere boy, aren’t you? You have a lot of responsability, I suppose it’s not easy with just two of you. With four is already a paaaain in UNDEAD, and all!” He huffed, folding arms and thinking about the troubles his own unit go through all the time. So tiring sometimes… and still he was in there without intention of leave. Still, it felt nice to know the prize he won so casually some time ago was serving to a good purpose.

“Ah… t-thanks! Ya are nice, Hakaze-senpai~” Mika relaxed a bit and smiled to Kaoru, relieved the other didn’t laugh or looked down at him as creepy and childish. “But I should have known… Madonee said ya are nice to Oshi-san and helped him a lot in the arcade, so… ye, I should take the chance to say thanks for that, too! Thanks for take care of Oshi-san, Hakaze-senpai!” Mika bowed enthusiastically, his feelings visibly genuine, throwing Kaoru off a bit.

“A-ah, it’s not like I’m super close to him or anything! I-it’s ok! I just do the obvious… and I’m barely in class anyway… but it’s good to know Mademoiselle-chan look at me this way. I want to see all girls happy, and she is an extraordinary lady~” He managed to smile a little, shifting the focus to a subject he was more comfortable with - ladies. Listen such kinds words towards Madonee and Shu warmed Mika’s heart, too.

“Ehe~ She is, right? I’m glad, I’m glad to know Oshi-san has good classmates… so he won’t feel lonely just with Madonee, since I can’t be with him all the time! He is a 3rd year after all, ehe!” He chuckled, bouncing a bit playfully, then looked to Kaoru again, speaking in a kind, soft tone. “Please continue to take care of Oshi-san, would ya?~ Could ya, Hacchan?”

“I don’t see why n… h-hey, what’s with the nickname? T-that’s embarassing, to have a guy giving me a p-pet name!” Kaoru stuttered, blushing despite the protests. It was hard to be annoyed with this kind of person, he was finding out. “W-well, you are still a kid, so I guess I can forgive you.” He frowned and huffed, still embarrassed and trying to change the subject as fast as possible. “D-don’t worry about Itsuki-kun, though. It seems you take care of him well, so he will be fine.”

“Ehe~I’m just a failure of a doll, but I try my best… thanks lots, Hacchan!” Mika smiled more, actually blushing a bit too and feeling quite happy. Usually people were always concerned and seeing his attachment to Shu as problematic and weird, even trying to say he should leave Valkyrie sometimes. As kind and well-intentioned they could be, it hurts. To meet someone that didn’t question or looked disgusted was pretty refreshing.

“Try your best is what matters, right?~” Kaoru offered a sympathetic smile, going for the easiest path. The “failure doll” thing didn’t settle quite well with him, but he had no reason to inquire or contest the boy more, after all. Everyone should mind their own business, right? Itsuki wasn’t even weirder than most of Yumenosaki idols in the end of the day. When your own unit leader sleeps in a coffin and treats other unit member like a dog, you can’t really talk much.

“What’s happening here? I heard laments loud like the curse of deceased royalty not long ago.” Suddenly, a strong voice interrupted the conversation and the tall figure of Shu came out of the shadows in determined steps, carrying a frowned expression and folded arms. Kaoru even felt his skin shiver with the timing of Valkyrie’s leader, not even 0.04 seconds late.

“Kagehira? Why are you still fooling around here? It’s past time to return home. And Hakaze…? Oh, it’s true, you work here. Doing extra hours, though?” He turned to Kaoru for a moment, raising one eyebrow.

“Oshi-san!” Mika jumped in front of Shu, showing the toy excitedly. “I’m so sorry, I was looking for her! I thought I had lost her, but Hacchan found it! He is nice! I’m glad he is your classmate, is he the nice one you mentione-”

“Shut your mouth, Kagehira.” Shu interrupted him harshly, his pupils widening just a little bit. “And take care of your belongings or I won’t give you anything else. Honestly, do I need to say every little thing?” He huffed, looking to Kaoru again. “It seems my doll gave you some trouble, and as a master it’s decent to take responsability.”

“Oh… oh? No, it’s ok, it’s ok! We had some amiable conversation, but I guess it’s really late… yes… but I suppose I’ll stay more and clean this mess, don’t need to worry about it, Kagehira-kun. Just go with Itsuki-kun!”

“Ah? B-but I did this mess, I should clean it all! That’s not fair, I will do it! Right, Oshi-san?” Mika’s pupils widened in concern looking to Shu for approval, receiving as answer a firm nod from the leader.

“Of course! I can’t believe it, Kagehira… Hakaze! Move away, if Kagehira did this disgusting mess, he must take care of it! Don’t even think about spoiling him!”

“Well.. if you are so fired up, ahaha~” Kaoru scratched the back of the head, shrugging. “It’s just, you two look in a hurry and I have time to kill, so… it wouldn’t be a problem. I’ll stay to close the place, then! Please bear with me a little more~”

“Okie! So we can leave all together, it’s better like this, right?” Mika opened a large smile again, already on his knees to clean the scattered objects. “We can stop in the candy store in the way home, can’t we? I guess we gonna have time! Can we, Oshi-san? All this trouble and work made me suuuupper hungry!”

“Hunf. You are really simple, aren’t you? It’s just a toy, but… Hakaze, come with us. I’ll pay you a snack, so we will be even for the fact you spared me from hear Kagehira whine all night because of that toy. I don’t like to stay in debt.”

“Yes! Please come with us, Hacchan! Ehe~I can’t thank ya enough, so I like it! Eat candies with friends, that’s nice~”

As Mika continued to clean even more motivated and humming, Kaoru’s eyes widened looking from him to Shu, kind of lost in the chain of events the Valkyrie members threw him in. It was like he didn’t have option but follow the flow, just like when caught in UNDEAD’s sillinesses.

“Ah? T-that’s really sudden, Itsuki-kun…!” He sighed, but thought for a moment and finally showed a smile larger than expected. “But you know? I wouldn’t refuse free food, so I won’t wait for you to insist more before accept, ehe~ Please spoil me for the night, then.”

He scratched the back of the head, laughing softly. At least, that would buy him more time before he had no choice but head home… and hopefully fill his stomach enough to help him sleep heavily. Not exactly the date he idealized to end the day, but an opportunity still worth taking.