Chapter 76: The Aftermath (And the Interrogation)

This is a new experience.

It is not a good one. The metal is cold.

"I have to say, Aoi-chan, this is very high-quality metal," Toujo observes from the bench next to me. He is also cuffed. "A solid 10/10. Very Imperial. Do you think these are silver?"

"Toujo, shut up," Rika hisses.

We are in a room. It is not a police station. It is a very clean, very beige, very terrifying Imperial Guard Security Office in a basement somewhere in the Palace.

Rika, Daiki, and Hiroto are sitting on a separate bench. They are not cuffed. They are "witnesses." Toujo and I are "perpetrators."

"This is a travesty of justice!" Hiroto is declaring to a stoic guard. "I am a national treasure! You cannot detain me! My agency will sue! This lighting is terrible for my complexion!"

Daiki is just silent. He is looking at his camera, which a guard has placed on a table. "You know... it is illegal to seize personal property without a warrant," he mutters.

The guard just stares at him.

"You kids," the guard finally says, rubbing his temples. He looks so tired. "Do you have any idea what you did?"

"I challenged a Prince to a dance-off," Toujo says, puffing out his chest. "I think I won. He did not respond."

"You assaulted an Imperial microphone," the guard sighs. "And you," he points at me, "incited a riot and threatened a member of the Imperial family."

"I did not!" I snap. "I just... made a declaration!"

"Yelling 'I AM COMING TO GET YOU' at the Prince is a threat, kid."

"It was a love declaration!" Hiroto corrects him. "The script was very clear! It was the climax of Season 2!"

"The... script?"

The door opens.

We all freeze.

My mom and dad walk in.

My mom looks like she is going to faint. My dad... he looks... impressed?

"Aoi," my mom whispers, rushing over. "Are you okay? Cuffs? Oh, my baby!"

"Mr. and Mrs. Isuzu," the guard says, standing straight. "And... sir."

Another man walks in. He is wearing a very expensive suit. He is flanked by two lawyers.

"I am Hiroto Suzume's agent," the man says, his voice like silk. "We will be handling this. We have already posted bail. Which, by the way, was exorbitant. Hiroto-kun, we are canceling your credit cards."

"You cannot do that! I am an artist!"

"You are an idiot!" his agent hisses.

My dad ignores them. He walks over to Toujo.

"Toujo-kun," my dad says, his voice very serious.

"Yes, sir?" Toujo squeaks.

My dad slaps him on the back. Hard. Toujo almost flies off the bench. "A DANCE OFF! With the PRINCE! That is the most punk-rock thing I have ever heard! I am so proud of you, son!"

"DAD!" I yell. "This is not the time!"

"He is right!" my mom wails. "This is a disaster! We are going to be arrested! We will have to move!"

"It is okay, Mrs. Isuzu," the agent says, stepping in. "We have... come to an agreement with the Imperial Household."

We all look at him.

"Agreement?" I ask.

"Yes. The footage... is everywhere," the agent says, looking at Daiki, who just smirks. "It is the number one trending topic in the world. 'Penguin Apron Jerk' and 'The Imperial Dance-Off'."

"Oh, good," I groan.

"The Imperial family... is not happy," the agent continues. "However... the public... is. The Crown Prince is seen as a tyrant. Prince Kenji is seen as a romantic prisoner. And you all... are folk heroes."

"So... we are not going to jail?" Rika whispers.

"No. The Crown Prince wants this to go away. Quietly. He has agreed to drop all charges... on one condition."

The guard unlocks my cuffs. He unlocks Toujo's.

"What condition?" I ask, rubbing my wrists.

"You are never to go near the Imperial Palace again. You are never to contact Prince Kenji again. This... 'incident'... is over. You are to go back to your normal lives and forget this ever happened."

"Forget it?" Toujo asks. "But I won the dance-off!"

"Go home, kids," the guard says. "You are lucky. Very, very lucky."

We are escorted out.

My parents are dragging me and Toujo. Hiroto is being dragged by his agent. Rika and Daiki follow, Daiki grabbing his camera on the way out.

We are back in the real world.

It is over.

We are... safe.

We lost.

I look back at the Palace gates.

No.

This is not over.