Before the Storm

“That was so fun…” Miyuki sighed as she collapsed on her bed, tired from the events of the day. After the well spent time they had at the pool, Jin took Miyuki to a couple more places–the arcade they used to frequent, and a hangout spot they liked along the riverbank.

It was getting late; the moon was high in the sky, and her eyes were heavy with exhaustion. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Before her consciousness entirely faded for the night, her phone began to ring. Jumping out of bed, she fumbled with her phone. “Hello?”

“Good evening, Haruno... This is Luna Rihara, in case you didn’t check to see who was calling before you answered.”

“Oh, hey Rihara…” She wiped the sleep from her eyes. “What’s going on?”

“The song you helped me with has finished. Would you like to come down to Tokyo next Saturday to listen to it with me, and have a nice, friendly chat?”

“Sure, I’d like that,” Miyuki answered. “I’m curious to hear the finished product.”

“Of course you are. Nine in the morning on Saturday. Don’t be late.”

“I’ll be–” she was interrupted by Luna ending the call. A yawn overcame her. “I suppose I should get ready for bed.” Her hair was still a tad damp from the pool, and she was wearing a loose white top and a knee length rose-pink skirt. Hopping off her bed, she approached her wardrobe to look for comfortable sleepwear, then headed to the bathroom to finish preparing for bed.

—

“She wants you to visit so you can listen to the song?” Komi tilted her head, confused by Luna’s invitation.

“And to talk,” Miyuki added.

Nanami leaned back against the stone wall behind her. “Why am I getting a bad feeling about this…?” The three sat in a circle on the school rooftop, bags and lunchboxes at their knees.

“Rihara’s probably excited that the song is finished,” Miyuki reasoned. “I’ll admit, I’m not looking forward to chatting with her. But I do want to hear the song we recorded together,” she said before munching on a sandwich.

“If you’re going, I’m coming too,” Nanami declared with an unshakable will.

“As much as I’d like that, she told us you can’t come anymore, remember? Rihara won’t let me listen to the song if she sees you.”

“Then I’ll wait outside,” she said. “If she gives you any trouble, give me a text and I’ll swoop in to save you.”

“You sound like her knight in shining armor,” Komi chuckled. “Aren’t you just friends?”

“Best friend,” Nanami corrected her. “And as such, it is my duty to ensure her safety and wellbeing.”

“I appreciate you, Nanami, but that would only make things more complicated. If things go south, your presence will only make it decline faster.”

“But–”

“Maybe I could go in your stead?” Komi suggested. “I may not be as protective or threatening as Nanami, but I’m sure I can be of assistance.”

Miyuki pondered her offer for a minute. “That’s definitely a possibility. She shouldn’t be opposed to you being there. I’ll check to see if she minds you coming. Last time she was pretty upset I brought guests without letting her know first.”

A bell chimed in the background to signal the end of lunch, just loud enough to be heard over the girls’ conversation.

“Let me know what she says,” Komi slung her bag over her shoulder and marched toward the door.

“I will. See you tomorrow, Komi,” Miyuki waved as her friend descended down the flight of stairs on the other side.

Nanami grabbed her belongings and pulled Miyuki to her feet. “I don’t think you should go. That girl is a vulture waiting for something she can slander you with. Either she wants to talk so she can find something to destroy you with, or she’s already found something.”

Echoes of her shoes falling on the granite stairs mixed with the conversations of students passing through the hall at the bottom of the steps. Prompted by Nanami’s warning, Miyuki’s mind turned to the time she and Jin ran into Luna at the restaurant. ‘She said that wasn’t any of her business, though,’ Miyuki thought. She was certain Nanami was overthinking the purpose behind Luna’s desire to talk with her.

Regardless, Miyuki remained deep in thought on their way back to their classroom. For some reason, the question of what Luna wanted to discuss lingered on her mind throughout the week, teasing her anxious brain until the day appointed for her to travel down to Tokyo.

Luna responded to Miyuki’s inquiry about whether or not Komi could accompany her with an affirmative, on condition that she stayed outside while she showed Miyuki their song. She had also asked Luna what she wanted to discuss, but that message was left on read.

It was comforting to have Komi’s presence next to her, to keep her mind from wandering into forbidden trains of worried thoughts about the conversation soon to be had. “Was last time your first time in Tokyo?” She asked her, refocusing on the present. It made her happy to know Nanami was worried about her, but that worry had infected Miyuki. A part of her was certain nothing worse than a few insults would occur, but her mind kept drifting back to the scene in the restaurant like a stick in her river of memories.

“No, I’ve been in Tokyo before,” Komi answered without taking her eyes away from the road in front of them. “Not this part of it, though.”

“What brought you the first time?” Miyuki spotted the tall office-like building that contained Luna’s recording studio in the distance.

“A concert,” she answered without elaboration.

“What was the concert?” Miyuki probed.

“Kiki Amamiya. I was only five at the time, and her music was really inspiring. That was when I decided to study everything there is to know about idols.”

“You weren’t inspired to become one yourself?”

Komi glanced away and didn’t respond. The studio grew closer with each step they took and was now only a minute away.

Feeling guilty for bringing up something difficult for Komi to discuss, she stopped and offered a heartfelt apology.

“You didn’t say anything wrong,” Komi shot it down. “We’ve got less than a minute until nine, if we don’t want to be ripped apart for being late, we should keep going.”

“Sorry,” Miyuki uttered again. She followed Komi to the studio’s entrance, steeling herself for the sharp words she would soon hear.