Goya Kino rubbed his head with an ashamed look:
“Yeah, we were rather dumb at that age. I still have the scar Ryu-kun gave me when he split open my head with his elbow. At that time, I thought I was going to die, because of all that blood running down my face!”
Asato Hogai vigorously nodded:
“He punched my stomach so many times that I threw up all over myself! I had to walk home smelling like rubbish!”
Sando Ishi faced Fujioka Ikoi with her eyes wide open:
“He slapped us so hard, that I had nightmares for weeks!”
Fujioka Ikoi made an awkward smile:
“You were lucky, I couldn’t sleep properly for months! I was always dreaming that he entered my room to slap me again!”
Sakamo Ryu shrugged:
“You all deserved at that time, you were a group of bullies. Every kid around was afraid of you guys. At least the beating did you some good because you never bullied Tomoe-chan again.”
Goya Kino placed one arm over Sakamo’s shoulders, and the other over Tomoe-chan and looked at Hangaku Mae with a big smile:
“We never bullied anyone again, it was not only Tomoe-chan! We all became best of friends over the years, and then this stupid decided to move to Tokyo and left us here, waiting for him! Talk about inconsideration! After all the training he made us do! Endless push-ups, running, squats! The meditation! Hours and hours of meditation! Do you know how hard it is for a six-year-old to be seated on the floor with his legs crossed and his eyes closed without doing anything besides focusing on his breathing and heartbeat?”
Asato Hogai shrugged:
“I never minded that part, it was rather easy. The worse was when he kept on increasing the number of kilometres we had to run during an entire week, saying that the next time he was allowed outside the Shrine, he would test us, and if we failed, the training would only get worse. I lost so much weight that I thought I was going to die!”
Sakamo gently tapped Asato Hogai’s belly:
“It is still soft, don’t worry. But it is indeed smaller than last time I met you, what happened?”
Asato Hogai pointed with his thumb to the two smiling girls behind him:
“Ask those two! They kind of volunteered us to do the security at the Festival this year, and they said we had to increase our training to be prepared for any situation! I lost some softness and I now have more muscles than I should! They keep on saying that I am becoming an irresistible hunk while making me run until I threw up! They became even worse than you!”
Hangaku Mae looked at Asato Hogai and asked:
“You guys are going to work as security at the Festival? Is that usual around here?”
“Not really, Ryu-kun brothers were always in charge of that long before I was even born, but this year we got accepted as well. We had to do a lot of tests at the Shrine to be allowed to do it, though. But since we kept on following Ryu-kun’s training over the years, we became rather good with Karate, Kenjutsu, and Jujutsu. Talking about that, what about if we go check the stalls and we find something to eat? We need to have diner before the crowd increases because we need to change to our uniforms and patrol the Festival.”
Tomoe grabbed Hangaku’s arm and gently pulled her in the direction from where they came:
“We also need to start with the sound checks, just to make sure everything goes smoothly! Come on, everyone, let’s go grab some food!”
They all followed the smiling duo, and while walking along the path that led to the back entrance of the Festival, Asato Hogai asked:
“Ryu-kun, Mae-chan is really going to do the opening act? Because I saw her on television when she sang together with Tomoe-chan at the Stadium and I almost cried with her singing! Her voice is amazing!”
“Yeah, she surprised me at that time, I didn’t know that she could sing like that. Now, I just want for her to stop for a while! She is always singing something, practising the songs for her new album!”
“I wonder what you will do when she gets invited to those events and parties that singers and famous people always go to, and she takes you with her. It will for sure be funny, seeing your awkwardness on national television!”
Sakamo Ryu twisted his lips in a grimace:
“Don’t make me think about that! I went to an event like that last Thursday, and I couldn’t wait for it to end! The annoyed looks, the whispering about me, the constant questioning from people that I didn’t know, asking what I was doing at her side!”
Asato Hogai tapped Sakamo’s back:
“You poor thing, too much attention always made you uncomfortable. You better get used to that rather quickly, because as soon as her debut album gets to the stores, people will be nuts about her.”
Sakamo made an awkward smile and nodded. He knew all that, and he had been remembering himself that was Hangaku Mae’s dream, to become a singer, and he needed to make an effort to endure the extra attention he would be getting for being with someone like her that for sure would be famous very quickly.
When they finally got into the Festival grounds, the smell of food was everywhere. There were already more people than when they left for the lake, but still not enough to make the four young security guards afraid of being late for their volunteer work. Nevertheless, Asato Hogai dragged everyone to a stall that was selling roasted meat on a stick, and when he was told that all the food was going to be paid for by Tomoe and Sakamo Ryu because that was the agreement they had with their classmates, he shouted that he demanded equal treatment, considering all the pain Sakamo made him suffer, over the years.
While everyone was laughing, Sakamo was paying for the food, and Tomoe paid for the next stall, which was selling bowls of ramen.
When they were wondering what they could eat if they managed to find a space in their already round bellies, Shubuyaky Tomoe and Hangaku Mae left for their tent, to get ready for their show.
As for Sakamo’s four childhood friends, they left for another tent where a monk in light yellow robes was smiling at them. He even signalled with his head for Sakamo to join them, something that he refused because he was supposed to make sure that his group had someone with them that knew the place, considering that they never went to the Moon Festival, and he guided them to the stalls with games and tents with puppets theatre.
…
When it was finally time for the concert, Sakamo and his classmates were on the backstage, enjoying the low background music that was playing while the crowd was approaching the stage and filling the huge once empty open space in front of it. A big group of reporters was right in front of the stage, with a bunch of cameras placed in several high stands around.
Then, the main lights diminished, and a huge spotlight pointed upwards and made a few circles as if it was calling for everyone’s attention.
Then, all the lights went off, and a single smaller spotlight pointed to the microphone stand, at the front of the stage. For a few minutes, only a light commotion could be heard, of people rushing to the instruments. A figure approached the microphone, from the shadows at the back.
The crowd gasped. Hangaku Mae stood in front of them, with her long blond hair lose, shining under the spotlight. Dressed in a white short dress that reached the middle of her thighs and with a long tail at the back that reached the floor, it was reflecting the light, because of the tiny shining crystals imbued in the dress. The short sleeves ended at the elbows, and it had a long cleavage at the front, glancing a bit of her nice and oversized chest. She grabbed the microphone and the crowd went silent.
“I am Mae-chan. Some years ago, Tomoe-chan started her singing career on a stage at this Festival. I hope that tonight, I can at least entertain you all.”
She then raised her right fist and shouted:
“Let’s do this, Nakanojo!”
The crowd went wild, and the music started. Sakamo blinked a few times because, despite the way that she was singing at home, the music indicated that something else was about to start. Before his dumbfounded eyes and ears, wild rock-and-roll music was playing with Hangaku dancing on the stage and singing her lungs out.
More spotlights turned on, pointing at each member of the band. When the last spotlight illuminated the choir girls on the left side of the stage, Sakamo felt Takechi pinching his arm:
“Is that Tomoe-chan in the choir? It’s her, right? What is she doing over there?”
“I… I am not sure, singing? Maybe for moral support, just in case Mae got nervous? I heard them talking during the week that they would both make sure that everything went perfect. Perhaps they have something prepared as well? Maybe another duet? I don’t know.”
Sakamo faced the stage again, and in seconds, he was also dragged to the rhythm. It was not pop songs like Tome-chan used to sing, but it sure had a good sound.
Music after music, Hangaku Mae took over the crowd. After the third song, Sakamo had a weird sensation, as if he was being dragged to the music, without even knowing the lyrics completely. He could remember pieces of it because Hangaku Mae was always practising at home. He frowned when he remembered that the last time he felt so mesmerized and completely lost, was when Anika Wright used her ‘Mermaid’s Voice’ on him, and Wenammy broke the spell by punching her head. But in there, no one was going to punch Hangaku Mae’s head, and Sakamo made a huge effort to concentrate on his breathing, trying to focus. It was no use. The sounds of the instruments, Hangaku’s beautiful voice and the changing lights distracted him, and he found himself again lost in the music.
At the home of everyone that was watching the live transmission of the concert, Hangaku’s voice conquered them, and from the grandparent to the grandchild, they were all mesmerized by her voice and the rhythmic music.
Between the brief pauses of the songs, Hangaku would look back and smile at Sakamo, facing forward again as a new music started. Then, Tomoe-chan came from the choir, and it was then that the crowd recognized her. She joined Hangaku Mae on her last song, and when the music ended, they both waved at the crowd, and Tomoe-chan shouted over the microphone:
“This is Mae-chan, everyone! I am not sure if I will be able to surpass her after this amazing performance, but I will do my best!”
While Hangaku Mae was running to join the girls in the choir, Shubuyaky Tomoe waved at the crowd in front of her:
“It sure is nice to return here after so much time! I couldn’t come in the last years because I always had some concerts to do, even after I warned my agent that I wanted to come here! Well, this year he tried to make me do a tour, but I threatened him that I would fire him if I couldn’t come! So, tonight I am all yours, Nakanojo!”