Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Idol!

“Well then, I suppose you wouldn’t mind catching up with one more, right?” Nezumiiro pulled at her hair and revealed that her blonde locks were actually just a wig and underneath was hidden her natural blue hair. She then wiped off her makeup and straightened her posture, causing everyone else to recognize her instantly; she was the same person that Shuichi had seen interviewed on TV, the world renowned idol, Yuki.

“Ah! Yukitty!” Pitch rushed forward and hugged the girl even harder than she hugged Rantaro. “I can’t believe it’s really you! I haven’t seen you in, like, forever!”

“Oh, you don’t need to be that dramatic; it’s only been a year,” Yuki smiled sweetly at Pitch and hugged back. “It’s nice to hear that you still don’t hold any ill-will towards me, though.”

“Of course not! You’re like a sister to me!” Pitch declared, putting Yuki down. “So, how’s it been? Are your producers treating you well? Is it true that you were in a movie recently? Because if so, I might have to relearn how to break into a theater.”

“Everything is going just fine, thanks for asking,” Yuki replied. “And I could just get you an early DVD of the movie if you want.”

“Nah, my way more fun,” Pitch replied.

“W-wait, hold on!” Shuichi interrupted, his mind reeling. “I’m sorry, but could someone please explain to me what’s going on? I thought you were Nezumiiro, the girl I met at the bar! Not Yuki! And you know Pitch too!?”

“Yeah, I guess I never fully explained that to you, did I?” Rantaro asked, rubbing the back of his head. “Remember when I said that Black Cherry broke up a few years back over creative differences? Well, the members who left did a little rebranding, and now they’re all part of the idol group Snow White. That’s kind of a secret, though, so I’d kind of appreciate it if you kept that to yourself.”

“Yeah, sorry about lying earlier,” Yuki apologized with a bow. “I didn’t want to blow my cover in front of everyone. If it makes you feel any better, though, I really did enjoy talking with you. I honestly didn’t expect you to know Pitch and Rantaro as well, but I guess we both had some surprises tonight.”

“Oh alright then,” Shuichi replied. “Hey does anybody have a chair I can use? Because I need to sit down before my legs give out on me.”

“Heh, sorry about this!” Rantaro said, hastily scooting Shuichi a chair. “I would have told you earlier, but I honestly wasn’t expecting her to be here. Not that she isn’t a pleasant surprise, of course.”

“Just as much of a gentleman as when I left you, I see,” Yuki giggled. “So, have you settled down yet, Rantaro, or are you still wandering like Pitch is?”

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly call myself ‘settled’, I am living in one place now,” Rantaro explained. “It’s right here in town, in fact.”

“Oh, what a coincidence! I actually just got a home here in the city as well!” Yuki said cheerfully. “Maybe the two of us could spend some time together?”

“If you want, but I wouldn’t want to distract you from your busy schedule,” Rantaro humbly replied.

“Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to make time.” Yuki smiled again and turned back towards Pitch. “Pitch is probably a lot busier than I am, and she still made time to see you.”

“Yeah, it’s a lot of hard work out on the road, but oh-so worth it!” Pitch threw up both her hands into devil horns. “You saw how hard I rocked it out there tonight, right? I might not have you and the band with me, but I can still make miracles with my music! Oh, that reminds me, how is everyone else doing? Does Ink still miss me? How about Jet? Coal too. Oooh, does Abyss still have that toothbrush I loaned her? Because I might need that back.”

“Don’t worry, they’re all doing just fine, though they’ve each gone through a bit of a makeover,” Yuki assured her friend. “Right now, their biggest worry right now… is actually you, Pitch.”

“Me? Pfft, they should know by now that I can take care of myself on the road,” Pitch scoffed. “There’s no need to worry about me!”

“We all know that, but… no one can keep living a life like yours forever,” Yuki replied, reaching into one of her pockets. “Which is why I decided to get you a little something to help you out.”

“Is it a check?” Pitch asked. “If so, could you help me cash it? I might be banned from a few banks for overdrawing too many times.”

“Tada!” Yuki pulled a large white bow she had in her back pocket and presented it to Pitch. “I had to pull a few strings, but I managed to convince my producers to offer to let you join Snow White! We even have a room set up for you, a costume, and even a fake name and backstory! From now on, you’ll be known as ‘Pearl’, a 20-year old fan that I met at the park one day who joined the group after you impressed me with your singing skills and pureness of heart.”

“J-join your… group?” Pitch picked up the Bow and held it in front of her in stunned shock.

“Yep! We can get you integrated as soon as tonight, as you want!” Yuki said with a smile. “I have a makeup artist ready, and I can schedule a press conference, and-”

“Hell no you’re not!” Pitch wound up her arm and slammed the bow as hard as she could into the nearest trash can. “I can’t believe you’re trying to make me do this again! Didn’t I make it clear the first time?! I am not, under any circumstances, selling out!”

“P-Pitch!?” Yuki gasped in shock as Shuichi and Rantaro both recoiled from the rock star’s seething anger. “What do you mean you won’t join the group? I don’t understand.”

“What’s there not to get?” Pitch asked, leaning forward. “I’m not going to become another dime-a-dozen, plastic, synthesized, heartless, GMO, free-warranty hack! I still have a thousand good songs for Black Cherry I need to write, and you couldn’t make me give that up if you put a gun to my head!”

“Y-you… you selfish bitch!” Yuki swore at her friend, tears welling up in her eyes as her voice raised. “You always told me that people change, but you’re just as stubborn as the day I met you! Do you have any idea what I had to do to get you this one-in-a-lifetime opportunity?! Everyone else had given up on you, but I still believed we could make things work! And you’re just going to throw this all away like it’s a piece of garbage!?”

“Oh no, you’re not going to guilt me that way, princess! I never asked you to do any of that!” Pitch countered, pointing a finger at Yuki now. “I’ve been just fine taking care of myself, and you know that!”

“But you can’t honestly say that you’re happy like this, can you?” Yuki asked, her eyes pleading. “Living without a real home… unable to go to the doctor or own a cell phone… and everyone knows how you have to prostitute herself to make ends meet.”

"Oh, please! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, Kuro!” Pitch snapped, referencing Yuki’s old band name. “You might play a virgin on TV, but I know you're anything but 'pure' with those producers of yours!"

“W-what!?” Yuki gasped and put a hand over her chest in shock as Shuichi noticed Rantaro start to visibly sweat. “How did you know about that?”

"Like it was that hard to guess!” Pitch scoffed. “You're 27, and no one buys a Christmas cake after the 25th! If you weren't giving them ‘private interviews’ you would have retired years ago".

Yuki frowned determinedly at Pitch and clenched her fists hard. "Alright, I'll admit it... I do sometimes have sex with my producers. I'm not proud of it but, unlike you, I did what I had to keep my career alive! I do it for multi-billion yen contracts, movie deals, and to protect younger idols from having to do the same thing!” Yuki shouted. “You, on the other hand, once sucked a guy off behind a restaurant for a hamburger, if the rumors are true."

"Hey, I'll have you know that it was a good hamburger!" Pitch countered, stepping closer to Yuki.

“Hey, take it easy, girls! There’s no reason to fight like this,” Rantaro interrupted, stepping between his friends. “Why don’t we just drop this conversation for now, huh? It’s been too long since the three of us have been together, after all, so why don’t we-”

“Quiet, you!” Yuki spat at Rantaro. “I can’t believe that you’re still encouraging her reckless behaviour like this! Even after you’ve seen how hard it is on her!”

“Hey, Rantaro’s done nothing wrong!” Pitch stepped between Yuki and Rantaro. “You leave him out of this, you little s-”

“W-wait! Please, hold on a second!” Shuichi begged at the top of his lungs, unable to listen to the argument anymore. “Can we just… stop yelling at each other for a minute? Please?”

“Oh… I’m so sorry, Shuichi.” Yuki straightened out her clothes and did her best to regain her composure. “I almost forgot that you were here.”

“Yeah, you probably don’t want to spend your Friday night watching two people argue like this, do you?” Pitch asked apologetically as she pressed her index fingers together.

“I-It’s fine… it’s clear that you’re both very passionate about your feelings, so I don’t blame you for getting distracted like that,” Shuichi replied, taking deep breaths. “It is such a shame that you’re both fighting like this, though. From what I’ve seen, you’re both incredible artists who’ve made some really great music together. The fact that you can’t work together anymore is honestly tragic, especially since you were such great friends too.”

Pitch and Yuki both glanced at each other, fondness returning a little to their eyes.

“But, I know I’m not really in any position to try and mend your friendship. I barely know either of you, after all,” Shuichi continued. “So… is it okay if I just tell Pitch what I need to say, and I can leave you all to work this out in privacy?”

“Oh yeah, you never did finish answering my question earlier,” Pitch realized. “So, why did you have Rantaro take you to see me?”

“W-well, do you remember the night we first met? When I hired you on your tour bus, and you had me snort that Kibofil?” Shuichi asked, to which Pitch nodded. “How many guys have you done that with?”

“About… three or four I think, but most usually refuse.” Pitch replied. “It’s a pretty great trick though, isn’t it? It makes for a totally wild night!”

“And… have you ever spoken to any of those clients again afterwards?” Shuichi asked.

“No, I almost never see my Johns a second time,” Pitch replied casually. “Why do you ask?”

Shuichi and Rantaro exchanged a worried look.

“W-well, because… there’s a chance those guys might not be around anymore,” Shuichi explained, his voice soft. “You see, if you don’t swallow a Kibofil pill normally, it’s eight times more powerful, and that can lead to some delayed overdose effects, especially if you’ve taken the **** before. I know this because… about twenty-four hours after we met, I nearly died while exercising in the park. If someone carrying the antidote hadn’t been walking by at that time, then I probably would have died.”

“...” Pitch stared at Shuichi with wide eyes, quieter than anyone had seen her in a long time. “Died? Are you being serious right now? You’re not joshing me or something, right?”

“No, I’m afraid I’m being completely serious,” Shuichi replied. “B-but don’t worry about it; I had myself checked out, and there wasn’t any long term damage done, and those guys you did it with before might be fine too. So just remember not to do that with any other guys, and things will be okay.”

“... okay?” Pitch paused for another moment. “Okay? Okay!? No, things are not okay!”

“Gah!” Shuichi gasped. “What’s wrong, Pitch? I told you, everything’s fine! No harm no foul, right?”

“No harm!? Don’t you remember what I told you Wednesday, Shuichi? The bond between a rock star and their groupies is a sacred, cosmic link! And by doing you dirty like that, I ruined it!” Pitch declared. “How can I even call myself a rock star after doing something like that to you?”

“I don’t know, but you don’t have to feel bad about it, honestly,” Shuichi replied sheepishly. “I’m just some random office worker; my life isn’t really worth getting that worked up about anyways. So, I’ll just be leaving now and-”

“Oh no you don’t!” Pitch interrupted. “Yuki! Do you remember that favor you owe me? The really big one from when we were little?”

“Huh?” Yuki gasped, not expecting to be pulled into the conversation. “You mean, the one I said I owed you after you saved me from drowning in that river when we were eight?”

“Yeah, that’s the one! I’m finally calling it in!” Pitch replied, piercings glittering with determination. “I want you to leave and take Shuichi on the night of his life! Spoil him, treat him like a celebrity, go all out! It’s the least I can do to try and make things up to him!”

“A-are you being serious right now?” Yuki’s eyes widened in shock. “You had that favor ready all these years, and this is how you really want to use it?”

“Well, yeah; life’s too short, and I’d hate to wake up as a ghost one day without having called that thing in,” Pitch explained. “And it’s either this or I offer Shuichi the sex pit, but I don’t have enough time to find enough girls of his type for that.”

“Ah, that’s our Pitch… always thinking in the moment,” Rantaro commented wistfully as he got out of his friends’ way.

“Oh, and, uh… one more thing…” Pitch demurely pressed her fingers together again. “This is actually unrelated to the favor, but… you said you have a place here in town, right? Is it okay if I crash there for a little while? I’m starting to think maybe… I should take a little time off from touring.”

“Really? You mean it!?” Yuki’s eyes sparkled with pure joy as she ran up to Pitch and took her by the hands. “You want to stay here with me!?”

“Yeah, yeah, but don’t think this means I’m selling out or anything.” Pitch looked away and blushed. “I’m not joining your idol group, I’m just going to be resting for a little while.”

“That’s good enough for me!” Yuki took out her spare house key, wrote down her address on a random piece of paper, and handed them both to Pitch before hugging her tightly. “You head there as soon as you can to get some rest, okay?”

“Heh, whatever you say, mom,” Pitch joked, hugging back. “And I’m sorry about the things I said to you. I hope you know that I didn’t mean any of that.” After hugging Yuki, Pitch went to grab her guitar once more. “Anyways, my fans out there are still expecting a show, so I’ll catch up with you guys later!”

“Alright, Pitch - I look forward to seeing what other songs you can fit in before the night is up,” said Rantaro. “And feel free to let me know if you need any help packing things back into the bus. You know I’ll always be there to help you with anything, right?”

“Heh, as if I could steal you away from your precious little sisters like that!” Pitch walked over to the dressing room door and kicked it open, breaking its lock. “So long, Shuichi! Have a rockin’ good night for me, you hear?”

“S-sure thing, Pitch!” Shuichi replied mostly on reflex, his mind still reeling from what had just happened. He understood what Pitch had said, but he couldn’t seem to comprehend the fact that she had just ordered the most famous person in Japan to spend the night with him.

“Hey, thanks for stepping in like that, Shuichi,” Rantaro spoke up as the spikey-haired rocker disappeared from view. “I’m not sure how things would have turned out if you weren’t here.”

“Thanks, but I… didn’t really do anything,” Shuichi pointed out. “All I did was tell Pitch about my overdose.”

“You did more than enough,” Rantaro replied. “You spoke up when you needed to and you were honest about what you thought. Not everyone has that kind of guts, you know. Meanwhile, I was just frozen on my feet in the middle of their cross-fire. I thought that having many sisters would mean I have experience in this sort of thing, but I guess these things can be harder to do with friends.”

“Alright, my private car is parked only a few blocks away, Mr. Saihara,” Yuki said as she fixed her disguise again. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with us, Rantaro? My house has more than enough room for you and Pitch, and it has to be better than whatever you can afford. I can drop you off on our way.”

“No thanks; if I wanted to mooch off some rich person’s home, I’d just move back in with my dad,” Rantaro replied with a shrug. “I appreciate the offer, though.”

“Anytime, Rantaro,” Yuki replied, hugging her dear friend. “Oh, and could you please give your new step-mother a chance this time? She really does sound like she’s trying to be a good parent.”

“I’ll, uh, think about it,” Rantaro replied in a sweet but non-committal way.

“I guess that’s the best I can hope for.” Yuki sighed and turned towards Shuichi. “Are you ready to go?”

“Not quite, actually,” Shuichi replied. “I kind of have my car in a parking garage nearby, and I can’t leave it there all night. Is it okay if I drop it off back at my place, and you can pick me up at my apartment?”

“Sure! Just tell me where your address is, and I’ll tell my driver to meet you there,” Yuki replied.

Shuichi did exactly that before saying his goodbyes to her and Rantaro and exiting out the back of the building just as Pitch began her second set for the night. As he stepped on the bus back to the parking garage, Shuichi could still feel his heart racing as he wondered what exactly the idol had in store for him.