"*cough cough* Huff... huff..."
Riku's manager rushed in with canned oxygen and an inhaler. The boy might have delivered a powerful performance. The fact remained that he had a problem with his breathing, but it was manageable if he was careful. Plus, his manager was instructed by Kujou Takamasa himself on how to deal with Riku's illness. And more importantly, how to control Riku's actions.
Riku quickly recovered after using the inhaler. "Manager-san, am I done for the day?" Riku asked the manager. It had been so long since he last came to Japan. He wanted to take a walk. The manager nodded and said Riku was free to go anywhere as long as he tried not to stand out too much.
Even with his manager, Riku could not smile. "Remember, Riku. Crush anyone who gets in your way. Show them you are powerful. That you are the only person worthy of the crown, standing on top." Takamasa had said those words probably a million times as Riku grew up.
I wonder if I still remember how to smile.
Riku sighed as he walked around the city, looking at shops with cute things. Of course, he had to cover his face and wear sunglasses. Although he had only been in the industry for a few weeks, his popularity was through the roof.
Riku wasn't very good at showing his true emotions since he wasn't allowed to "feel too much" growing up. Again, Kujou wanted him to maintain a powerful image. People were usually too scared to even approach Riku as he seemed to be unreachable. Kujou didn't care how Riku acted when he was on his own.
But he was now an idol. Almost everywhere he went, he had to be in his "unreachable mode".
As soon as Riku got home that night, his manager called him. He was invited to perform at Music Festa, a huge live broadcast that any indie artist would die to be there. Riku wasn't sure how he felt. He was glad he could bring smiles and excitement to people's faces when he sang, even under Kujou's control. Then again, he would rather show his true self and sing with his true feelings.
My true feelings, huh? I wonder what they are.
"You will be meeting a few other idols at Music Festa. Keep your interactions to a minimum. Kujou, understood?" Riku's manager's words stabbed him in the chest.
So I can't even be friends with people in the same industry?
Actually, Takamasa pressured Nanase's entertainment business into bankruptcy because he wanted Tenn, but Riku overheard the adult's conversation. He was too young to grasp what was going on at the time, but as a kid, he knew Tenn was in trouble. So instead, Riku presented himself to Kujou in order to protect Tenn.
"Tenn-nii..." Riku sat on his bed and hugged his knees. He felt like crying. He wasn't sure how to. He couldn't cry. The only thing he knew was that he wanted to be in his brother's arms, especially when he felt so much pain like this.
Riku took his usual medications and lay in bed until he could fall asleep.
~~
-Music Festa-
"Welcome back to the biggest live music broadcast, Music Festa! We've been running for 4 hours straight now!" Mr Shimooka worked hard as an MC for this event. People throughout Japan were glued to their TVs, waiting for their favourite idols to turn up.
"Now the next three are the hot bunch! I'm sure you have been waiting for them to make an appearance!"
The audience screamed in excitement. "One of them must be TRIGGER!" The whole room was filled with chatter. "Or maybe that boy, Kujou Riku! I REALLY want to see him up close!"
~~
"Tenn, are you sure you are okay?" Ryuu expressed his concern.
Since the day he found out about Riku, Tenn had been quite depressed. Confused. Stressed. He didn't want to bother his friends about his personal problem. Gaku had a different idea, though.
"Oi, Tenn." Gaku stood in front of Tenn and reached his hand to push Tenn's chin up, forcing eye contact.
"...! Gaku?" Tenn's pink eyes were welled with tears. He simply could not take it.
"Tenn..." That shocked Gaku a little. They had to perform in about half an hour. That was not the point, though. Gaku was genuinely worried about his friend. "Tell us what's wrong."
"Tenn, please," Ryuu added and looked behind him to find Anesagi. Anesagi nodded and left the room, giving TRIGGER their privacy.
Tenn hesitated for seconds before deciding to tell his dear friends. "I-I have a twin brother."
"You have a WHAT?" Gaku expected something groundbreaking, but certainly not that. "So?" He might have sounded insensitive. Tenn knew, though, that Gaku cared deeply about him.
"We were separated when we were little." The tears started flowing down. Tenn could not hold them back any longer. "And now he suddenly appeared... as Kujou Riku." The moment Tenn said that name, Ryuu and Gaku looked at each other in surprise.
"Oi, oi, seriously...?" Gaku said quietly, not directing his words at anyone. Both Ryuu and Gaku remembered the performance on the TV they saw that day. Then Gaku had an idea.
"Tenn, today might be your lucky day. I heard Kujou Riku is performing right after us and before IDOLiSH6." Ryuu smiled with hope. Maybe the brothers could reunite today!
Tenn looked up quickly after hearing that. "Really?" At that moment, they heard a knock, and Anesagi opened the door. "What's with this gloomy atmosphere? Get ready and head out at once. There's not much time left." After a few minutes, the three were heading to the stage. On the way, Kujou Riku and his manager were walking past just 15 minutes before TRIGGER had to be on standby.
"...! Riku!" Tenn slipped out Riku's name without knowing he did. Riku came to a sudden stop, hearing that familiar voice. The red eyes went wide after their eyes met.
Tenn-nii! What is he doing here? Riku never knew before that his brother had become an idol. Right at that moment, Riku really wanted to jump in to hug his brother, but his manager was right there with him. But.. but... no, I really want to talk to Tenn-nii... but... Riku was not prepared for that. Not at all.
"Kujou," The redhead's manager spoke quietly as a reminder that Riku was not allowed to associate with other idols if they were not working together.
...nnggghhh... Tenn-nii, I am so, so sorry. Riku tightened his fist before getting himself together and looking up.
"What business have you got with me?" Riku spoke in a cold tone. He stared into Tenn's eyes, not showing any kind of affection at all.
"....!" Tenn was in shock. Ryuu had to grab Tenn's fragile body to make sure he was alright. Rage consumed Gaku. "Oi! This is not how you talk to your brother!"
Riku bit his lip before forcing out a reply, "I have no idea what you are talking about." With that, Riku and his manager exited the scene, leaving Tenn flopping onto the ground, shaking.
...damn it! Damn it all! Tenn-nii! Tenn-nii!
Riku got to his prep room. As soon as he closed the door. The redhead drove his manager's back to the wall. "WHY, manager-san? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME TENN-NII IS HERE? Why did I have to say all those things...! *cough cough!*"
"Kujou!" His female manager scolded Riku as he was coughing severely. "Use your inhaler. And keep your emotions in check. Go sit over there. And don't go anywhere until it's your turn." His manager, trained by Kujou, was as cold as ice. She was not at all scared by Riku's actions.
~~
"WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING!?! You have to be on standby now!" Anesagi stormed in from the stage to the corridor. "Eh? Tenn, what happened? Argh! This is no time for that. You guys need to be there NOW!" Anesagi was stressed about her work as a manager. She would not be able to accept any kind of failure today.
IDOLiSH6 were on their way to their prep room when they heard the commotion.
"Nanase Tenn... I wonder what's wrong?" Mitsuki spotted Tenn on the floor with two other members standing beside him.
"Ah, I really wish we could help." Sougo spoke, but every I6 member knew they had to get ready. They did not stop walking and went to their room.
"Are they gonna be okay...?" Tamaki asked.
"I'm sure they will. Remember when you carried feverish Nanase to the stadium, and he danced like nothing happened?" Yamato reminded Tamaki of the day they went to watch TRIGGER concert.
"We can check on them later," Iori stated. "RIGHT, cuz we haven't had the chance to greet them," Nagi added.
"Everyone, let's do our best!"
"YEAH!"
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Two chapters in one day okay I have officially gone crazy. I write a lot when I'm stressed. Anyway,...
I'm sorry you have to suffer like this Riku // slapped
Please leave comments~!