Chapter 1 - Track One

There are many strange coincidences in our life; some are good, others not so good. I don’t know where I can grade the sudden limousine accident sixteen years ago that stole the lives of Ryuichi Sakuma, and his wife Hanako Morita. It was very horrific, and they had everything to live for. Ryuichi was a vocalist genius – a beloved idol in Japan. Hanako was a creative voice actress who had a legion of anime fans worldwide, even the United States fans knew her name. Together they had met at a motel while hiding from their respective agents. Not knowing a thing about the other, it was love at first sight. In fact their love was so great they married within an hour of meeting each other. They even waited for their ceremony to find out who the other was, name and all! Ok, I know what you’re thinking…what flaky space cases…that was uh, true. But their relationship survived, that’s all you have to know, OK!

Anyway, back to all they had to live for…Well, soon after Hanako fell pregnant and gave birth to a sensationally gorgeous baby girl. Oh how she was lovely, with those pink cheeks, soft skin and cute little tush. That’s what I hear anyway, from photos the baby lives up all these words – I feel more could have been said, oh well. She was only six months old when she lost both her father and her mother.

After the sudden death of the famous couple, much mourning from the entertainment industry, as well as the zillions of fans followed. It was hard for so many to face the loss. Japan was practically in a standstill. When reality sunk in everyone wondered what was going to happen to little Ryuko – yeah, it’s a bit odd of a name, want to make something of it?! Relatives from both sides demanded the sweet little infant. Even Tohma Seguchi, owner of the NG recording studio made bid to care for the child. However, there was a certain document that stood in the way for these people, it was a fully legal document stating who the parents had chosen as Ryuko’s Godparents. They were a lesser known couple, though world famous individually for their chosen fields – Eiri Yuki (actually it’s Uesugi, but I never really hear anyone call him that much), author of dozens of novels, and his partner, Shuichi Shindou.

Much outrage and frustration followed…mostly by Eiri. Then again I hear his little brother Tetsuha was much more outraged, destroying a part of his temple in an angst-bidden rage. He is so totally a baby! Hasn’t a changed a bit, I swear, him and his Ryuichi fetish is so creepy, I wish he’d stop trying to wrap up my boobs and make me sing…oh, Heh, where was I…? Oh, right, Eiri Yuki was very frustrated by what Ryuichi had done without his consent. He was the last person (he felt) who would be suited as a father figure. Shuichi would have liked to be over the moon, but he didn’t think he was worthy of the honour to take care in raising the daughter of his idol and good friend. Besides, would two fathers really be good for the little girl?

The lawyer for Ryuichi and Hanako requested that they take care of sweet, adorable little Ryuko until the courts decided who would be granted custody. It wasn’t easy having a baby in the apartment, drove them to the edge of their sanity. Even spunky Shuichi had a tough time keeping a smile. When the time came to hand her over before the hearing was to start, they felt a great sense of relief and knew once and for all Ryuichi had made a huge mistake.

As they listened to hearing, the testimony from the several parties as to why they would be best suited as the parents, many odd things raced through the mind of Shuichi. Such as, were any of them wanting Ryuko because they loved her? Was it all about the social status of owning the only child of Ryuichi Sakuma? And…what was that cold feeling in his back?! He was about to turn around when the voice of his manager K whispered into his ear, “What are you waiting for? Do you want to make Kumagoro cry?!” With that, Ryuichi’s beloved pink bunny toy was whacked over his head. After gathering himself, just as the judge was about to announce his decision, Shuichi ran in front of the judge and yelled into his withered old face that Ryuko was now his baby and he won’t let anyone take her away from him – or Yuki. Eiri was stunned, thrust into such a position - again, but as annoyed as he was, there are no reports of him protesting at the time.

After a long hard talk, and much embarrassing weeping and begging by Shuichi, Eiri agreed to allow her to stay on a month trial. That trial eventually turned into an adoption. What can I say; the baby was irresistible! Ha! And did she grow up with any mental disorders? NO!

“Plenty, but I doubt it has anything to do with having two dads, Ryu-chan.”

“Hey, I’m talking here Himeka-chan!”

“Yeah, but…” Himeka looks around the diner, embarrassed by the stares of the patrons and waitresses, “do you have to tell your story so loudly? I can hear you just fine without your yelling.”

Ryuko pouts, hugging Kumagoro. “Jeez you’re such a meanie! I’m telling your dad. And your mum…and the press!”

Himeka sips her vanilla coke, shrugging. “You know, for a sixteen year old bimbo you sure tell a good story. Though I’ve heard all this before.”

“Must you be so cruel?” Demands Ryuko, suddenly slapping an “evil be gone” enchantment scroll on the fourteen year old’s face.

Himeka Nakano quietly rips it off and slaps it as hard as she can on Ryuko’s nose. “You are such an IDIOT! Where the hell did that thing come from?!”

Ryuko throws on the table a rolled up ball of curse and enchantment scrolls. “I stole these from Uncle Tetsuha last month, been meaning to use them.”

Her friend pushes the ball aside and sighed, sipping her coke some more. “Honestly…what would happen if your Papa found out?”

“He’s the one who dared me to do it,” she sheepishly grins, “Uncle pissed him off once again I gather. I couldn’t stop laughing when he dared me, it sounded more like something Daddy would dare me to do!” Ryuko erupts into a fit of laughter, falling off her seat, still laughing.

Finishing her drink, Himeka gets out of her seat and pushes her chair in, still noticing her older, and not so wiser fried was still laughing. Smiling to herself, Himeka clicks her fingers in front of Ryuko’s to wake her back to reality. “Come on girl, time to get back to the studio.”

Ryuko wipes happy tears from her eyes. “Er…studio?”

Himeka rubs her temples, “You really are unbelievable.”

“Thank-you!”

“Ugh…Remember, your Daddy, Mr. Fujisaki and my father have their final rehearsal for their reunion concert in oh…” she checks her watch, “twenty minutes! Do you WANT to miss it?”

Ryuko’s eyes bulge like an insect’s. She grabs Himeka’s wrist and begins to race out of the diner at lighting speed. “NO TIME FOR YOUR MINDLESS CHATTER, TIME TO GO!!!”

“Mindless WHAT - ?!”

A gust of smoky wind can be seen zooming through the streets of Tokyo. Men, women and children huddle together as they avoid this unnatural phenomena. The gust of smoke stops in front of a hall. Himeka falls flat on her face, exhausted. Ryuko jumps on the spot, pumped full of energy.

“I wanna go back to Kyoto,” mournfully sighs Himeka, rising to her feet, “Oh well, time to get in. We’re thirty minutes late, let’s hope our parents don’t notice our absence.”

As soon as the girls wander through the doors of the hall, they’re greeted with the angry, red face of Mr. Sakano, Bad Luck’s producer and every now and then, Ryuko’s unfortunate babysitter. The girls nervously smile, trying to pretend nothing has happened. “WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU TWO BEEN?! YOU PROMISED TO BE HERE AN HOUR AGO!”

Himeka grits her teeth, “Well it wasn’t my fault I assure you. The storyteller decided to blab to an audience her life story – “

“Hey, Papa says I have a gift for stories!”

“He meant you have a gift for lies, dumbass.”

Ryuko shoves Kumagoro into her friend’s face. “Call me that again, and Kumagoro will kick your @$$!”

“Bite me.”

“ENOUGH! HEY, RYUKO, STOP BITING HER AAAAAARM!” Sakano falls into one his standard panic attacks, readying for a faint.

“What’s all this noise” Comes a quiet, but stern voice. Ryuko instantly lets go of her hold on Himeka’s arm and beams a cute, kitty smile, pouncing onto the owner of the voice.

“Sorry for being late, Papa! Forgive me!” Begs Ryuko, rubbing her head affectionately into Yuki’s chest.

Yuki frowns, rubbing her back, “I am not the one to apologize to. You have an entire stage crew to apologize to, as well as cameramen, band members, an orchestra, recording crew…” as he trails off a list of people she somehow peed off, Ryuko’s pupils dilate, trying to comprehend the mass of mad people. “And of course there is Shuichi.”

“Ryuko will apologize to everyone!” She boldly exclaims, “But…how did I get them all so mad?”

Yuki’s eyebrow slightly twitches, “Shuichi has refused to begin rehearsal with you absent.”

“We are so behind schedule!” Pitifully wails Sakano.

Himeka hands Sakano a glass of water, “Calm down Mr. Sakano, think of your blood pressure.”

Yuki folds his arms, turning his back on them. “Go and clean up girls, I’ll tell everyone you’re back, so we can finally get this started.”

“Aye-Aye!” Salutes Ryuko as he walks off. Sakano quickly follows him, gulping down the rest of his cold water.

Himeka turns to Ryuko, glaring, “Why is it every time we meet I’m subjected to this sort of stupidity?”

Ryuko blushes, giggling, “Beats me!”

“Must run in the family,” she breathes out a sigh.

The two walk to the ladies room, and rinse their faces, which are dusty from their earlier speedy running. They then start to reapply their make-up.

“Say, Ryu-chan, what’s it…like?”

Ryuko blinks, “What’s what like, Hime-chan?”

Himeka quietly blushes, “Having two dads?”

“Um…but we know lots of people with two dads, what do you mean?”

Himeka nervously laughs, closing her eye shadow case. “They have two dads because their mothers remarried. Your case is very different, if you hadn’t noticed, storyteller.”

Ryuko carefully applied her lip-gloss, kissing into the mirror cutely. “Hmmm, how should they be different?”

Her friend’s blush deepens. “Well…you know…they’re both men…and…they…do…er…stuff…together. Don’t you ever get weirded if you see them kiss or something?”

Ryuko beamed a smile, “Oh, sure I do.”

“Now you understand…”

“Who wants to see their parents kiss, yuck.”

Himeka falls back, exasperated at her friend’s naivety. Ryuko watches her squirm on the tiles and winks. “You’re a yaoi manga fan girl, aren’t you?”

Himeka blinks in confusion, and then hysterically laughs her nerves away; trying to turn from Ryuko’s not so innocent, dangerous eyes. “I know exactly what you’re talking about, fan girl, I’ve seen your collection in your cupboard.”

Himeka’s nerves shatter. “Er…er…er…”

Ryuko’s mood turns cheery again, returns to the mirror to apply some mascara. “ As I was saying, it’s so nice to know you’re such an open-minded person. But your stash seems to all be all R rated – do you actually get off on that?”

“Get off on that?!”

“Anyway, the truth is, my parents are no different to yours,” she quietly says, changing the mood, “I mean, they work, live together, they squabble, make-up, go on vacations, pay taxes, celebrate anniversaries, read, watch TV, and most importantly do everything in their power every single day to make sure I am the happiest I can be. That’s the way it should be, right?”

Himeka rises to her feet, nodding solemnly, “You’re absolutely right. Well…my yaoi loving days are over now, thank-you SO much for ruining my perfect vision with your wholesome life.”

“Kumagoro is sorry,” says Ryuko, holding up her bunny.

“Yeah, yeah. Time to get to the rehearsal; we don’t want Mr. Seguchi too mad.”

Ryuko pushes open the bathroom door; “I’d sure hate to get him mad, really.”

“I’ve noticed a distinct dislike of him radiating from you,” mentions Himeka, keeping away from the red aura radiating from Ryuko.

Ryuko flips her light brown hair, walking down the corridor. “Oh, him? That guy’s been eying my vocal cords before I could even speak. That jerk doesn’t even hide it. He’s been waiting for the day I’ll give in and decide to become a singer, like my father.”

“He wants you to become another Shuichi Shindou?”

Ryuko looks away, closing her eyes lightly, “No, not that father…”

“Oh, I see…”

“MY BABY!” Suddenly come two squeals as they enter the hall. The girls are pummelled to the ground; air tightly squeezed from their lungs.

“I’m so glad you’re here!” Weeps Shuichi, hugging Ryuko. “I was so worried! Are you ok? Did a street gang molest you? Were you taken hostage by the Yakuza and forced to give secret government information? Stop by a candy store and buy French chocolates? See a talking giraffe? Meet a ghost???”

Ryuko weeps too as she struggles for air. “Just lost…track of…time! Ryuko is sooooorrrryyyyy!”

Himeka’s long thin stands of shiny black hair are messed up as her mother; Ayaka swings her around as she hugs her. “You naughty girl, don’t you ever worry me like that again!”

“I won’t…ow…promise!”

“Shindou,” cuts in Tohma Seguchi, “Are you ready now to begin rehearsal?”

“Oh yes!” Energetically replies Shuichi, “Let’s rock the joint, Bad Luck style!”

Hiroshi picks up his guitar and takes his place on stage. “Well, it’s about time. Ready to go, Suguru?”

Suguru’s already at his keyboard, “I always am, Hiro!”

Suguru’s twelve-year-old daughter, Sara, stands by the cameramen, clapping. “Oh, this will be so much fun! Do your best!”

Ryuko and Himeka join her to get a good view. “Long time no see, Sara-chan,” greets Himeka, “Where’s your mother?”

“She couldn’t get away from work today, but she’ll be at the concert tomorrow night, she’s really looking forward to it!”

Ryuko gives her a thumb up. “And so she should! For Bad Luck are making their triumphant return onto stage!”

Sara sweatdrops. “Well, Senpai, it is only a reunion special…”

“Ha, we’ll see about that!”

“We’re gonna what now?” Wonders Himeka.

Ryuko covers her mouth, “Shush! Daddy’s going to start!” Himeka frowns, her mouth still covered as Bad Luck begin their rehearsal.

‘I wonder what she did mean by her comment?’ Himeka quietly thinks to herself, forgetting about the sweaty hand over her mouth. ‘And now that I think about it…what the hell was SHE doing going through my cupboard?!’

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