Undercurrent

[December 5th, 22:30 JST]

Tokyo Prefecture – Kaiser Hotel

The hotel corridor was quiet by the time Reina stepped out of her room.

The warmth from the gravure shoot still lingered faintly in her chest. After returning to their rooms, the team had rested, then gathered again for a late buffet dinner at the hotel restaurant. By the time they were dismissed, laughter had faded into yawns, and each door along the hallway closed one by one.

Reina found herself smiling, briefly wondering what her team was doing behind those doors.

She waited until Emi had fallen asleep before sending Takeshi a short message.

His room was at the end of the same corridor.

Reina walked toward it slowly. Her heart thumped with each step. It had been a while since she’d had a moment alone with Takeshi. Even so, that quiet didn’t bring the relief she’d expected.

She stopped in front of the door, exhaled softly... and knocked.

The door opened a moment later.

Takeshi stood there, a soft smile on his face. “Reina.”

She returned the smile, faint and forced, and stepped inside. As the door closed behind her, she walked straight toward the balcony. The cold night air brushed against her face as she rested her hands on the railing and stared up at the stars.

Takeshi followed without a word. He stopped beside her and gently placed his hand over hers. After a brief pause, Reina responded by interlocking their fingers.

“Takeshi...” she said quietly. “Do you think... being a Diva is a blessing? Or a curse?”

He was caught off guard by the question. For a moment, he didn’t answer.

“It’s a matter of perspective,” he said at last. “Not everyone can become a Diva. But those who do... their lives are changed.” He paused, then turned her toward him, one hand settling on her shoulder. “It can be a blessing, because they’re given the power to make a difference. But it can also be a curse. Every time they fight, they’re gambling with their lives.”

Reina met his gaze for a long moment before finally leaning into him. Takeshi wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

“I remember that funeral,” she whispered. “The crying of their parents... the coffins.” Her fingers tightened against his jacket. “One of them was empty. At that time, I thought... maybe this power really is a curse.”

Her voice wavered. Tears gathered, then fell.

“If Ars Aria didn’t exist,” she said, voice breaking, “those girls would still have their own lives. They’d still be alive, somewhere in this country. If none of this existed...” She swallowed. “Maybe our lives would’ve been different too.”

Takeshi could only hold her. His steady hand moving slowly against her back, reassuring her.

“They were manipulated,” he said quietly. “Promised power for revenge, but used from the moment they were given those fake D-Mics.”

He pulled back just enough to see her face and gently wiped away her tears.

“But... if none of this existed,” he continued, voice soft, “I wouldn’t have met you. And you wouldn’t have met your team.”

Reina closed her eyes, breathing unevenly as she pulled herself together. A small, quiet sob escaped her before she steadied.

“...I guess you’re right,” she said. “This team... this family... it’s everything I have now.”

Takeshi smiled faintly. Still holding her hand, he guided her back inside.

She took a moment to compose herself, wiping her eyes, correcting her posture.

“Surely you didn’t message me just to cry in front of me,” he said lightly.

Reina looked up to him. Her eyes were still red, but her voice was beginning to steady.

“No. I wanted to talk about the Father’s interrogation. That part was kept hidden even from me. But I saw you in the observation room.”

Takeshi sighed. “Yeah. Aside from the silence we expected, he did tell us something. We’re still verifying it, but...” He hesitated. “He mentioned an ancient ruin. He called it the ‘Primordial Ruin’. Claimed it predates even the first ruin the Foundation ever documented.”

Reina went quiet. Something in his final words refused to let go.

After a moment, Takeshi spoke again. “That’s all for now. Nothing’s confirmed yet.”

Reina nodded slowly as he walked her to the door.

“Get some rest,” he said. “Enjoy these few days with your team. While you still can.”

She paused, then gave a small smile before stepping back into the corridor.

That night passed quietly. When Reina returned to her room, sleep came without resistance.

The next morning can only be described as livelier and chaotic, in the way only her team could manage.

As soon as they reached the pool park and set their bags down, Nana didn’t hesitate. She kicked off her clothes in one quick motion, already wearing her two-piece beneath. A few nearby visitors glanced over, caught off guard by her boldness, but Nana paid them no mind.

“Last one to the slide buys drinks!” she shouted, already sprinting ahead.

The others could only shake their heads.

They split briefly for the changing area, then regrouped at the poolside spot they’d claimed earlier — bags tucked beneath a parasol, Takeshi already settled into a lounge chair — before heading toward Nana, who was bouncing impatiently on her heels beside the slide.

Yuzuriha slipped her hand into her backpack and took out a small bottle, tipping a few pills into her palm and swallowing them quietly. Emiko lingered beside her, waiting without comment. When she finished, Emiko reached out, gave her hand small squeeze, then tugged her forward. The two jogged together to catch up with the others.

Reina stayed back for a moment, watching the girls climb the stairs of the slide. Nana already charging upward, Misaki calling after her to slow down and be careful.

Beside her, Takeshi reclined against the back of the chair, dressed in light summer wear, sleeves rolled up, a glass of juice he’d just ordered resting in his hand.

“Looks like you’ll be buying us drinks,” Reina said, teasing as she turned to follow the others.

“Since when was I part of Nana-san’s bet?” Takeshi called after her with a laugh, already rising and heading toward the beverage counter.

Nana rushed back and forth between slides, trailing water everywhere, while Misaki followed close behind, scolding her without much conviction. Mika submerged herself in the pool, resting against the edge with only her head above the surface, quietly watching her teammates with a relaxed expression.

Nearby, Emiko and Yuzuriha splashed water at each other, laughter breaking through in short bursts. Yuzuriha moved a little awkwardly at first, then eased into it — her expression softening, her smile coming more freely. Emiko noticed, and smiled too.

Reina and Emi sat together at the pool’s edge, feet submerged, content to simply watch. That peace lasted until Nana resurfaced behind them and shoved them forward with a grin.

Momoko swam lazily nearby, waving now and then when a passerby recognized her.

For a little while, the world felt uncomplicated.

After a while, Momoko swam toward the edge of the pool, hauled herself up, and walked back to where they’d set their things down. Takeshi was still lounging there, sipping his juice as he watched the others play. When he noticed her, he smiled and gestured toward the drinks he’d brought over.

Momoko clicked her tongue lightly. “You’ve been watching Reina this whole time, haven’t you?”

Takeshi nearly choked on his drink.

She laughed, satisfied, then grabbed her phone from her bag, picked up a glass of juice, and dropped onto the lounge chair beside him.

A few taps. Then the video call icon.

The screen lit up after a few rings.

“Momo?”

Her mother’s face filled the screen, framed by a familiar bedroom that felt impossibly far away. A second later, her father leaned in from the side, smiling.

“Hey,” Momoko said, grinning before she could stop herself. “Did I wake you?”

“You always call at strange hours,” he said, amused. “Sometimes I wonder if you do it on purpose.”

Momoko chuckled, taking a sip of her drink. “I just felt like calling you two.”

She studied Momoko for a moment. “How’s life there? Still comfortable?”

“And your school?” she added teasingly. “Do you miss it?”

Momoko laughed softly. “Being a full-time idol is way better. I get to sing and dance every day—kind of like when I was little.”

Takeshi’s gaze shifted to her for brief moment, a small smile forming before he looked back toward the pool.

They talked about small things after that. Daily routines. Weather differences. How Momoko missed her mother’s cooking. Her voice stayed light, practiced.

Then her mother’s tone changed.

“Momo... you look tired.”

Momoko paused.

“I know that look,” she continued gently. “You don’t have to hide it from us.”

Momoko hesitated, eyes dropping to the glass in her hand. For a moment, she didn’t speak.

“It’s just...” she began, then stopped. “Idol work is actually... pretty intense.”

She looked up quickly, forcing a smile. “But it’s fine. Really.”

Before either of them could respond, she tilted the phone toward Takeshi. “This is my producer,” she said brightly. “Isn’t he handsome?”

Takeshi straightened slightly, nodded toward the camera, and offered a polite smile.

“He’s the best producer I’ve ever had,” Momoko added, a little more sincerely than she intended.

The camera shifted again, this time toward the pool.

“And that’s my team,” she said as she turned the phone back to herself. “They’re... my precious team.”

Her voice softened.

“Mom. Dad.” She took a breath. “I know you want me to come home. But I want to see this through. This career. This team.” She smiled, effort clear in it. “They’re my family now.”

Her parents exchanged a glance.

He nodded. “Then do your best.”

“We’ll always support you,” her mother said warmly. “No matter what.”

“And we’ll be waiting,” her father added. “You can come home anytime.”

The call ended after a final round of goodbyes.

Momoko stared at her reflection on the darkened screen for a moment before slipping the phone back into her bag.

Beside her, Takeshi spoke quietly. “Momoko-san... thank you.”

She glanced at him, cheeks warming slightly. “P-kun...” she took the last sip of her drink and stood. “I want to see this through with everyone. Then I’ll go back to Australia.”

She grinned, already turning away. “I’ll invite all of you. Don’t say no.”

Takeshi watched her rejoin the others, the noise of the pool swallowing her up once more.

Nana and Misaki eventually slowed, breathless and laughing. They wandered back to their spot and grabbed their drinks, Nana greeting Takeshi with an easy grin while Misaki nodded quietly behind her. Then, without any plan, they drifted off together, bare feet dragging along the warm tiles.

They stopped at a narrow bridge spanning the water. The noise of the park faded there, replaced by the gentle ripple of water flowing beneath them.

Nana leaned against the railing. “Hey... remember when Granny used to take us to that riverside?”

Misaki smiled faintly.

“I always went too close to the waterfall,” Nana continued. “You’d come get me every time. Then we’d both get scolded.”

“You never learned,” Misaki said.

Nana laughed, then glanced at her.

Misaki’s voice lowered “Even now.”

Nana tilted her head. “Hm?”

Misaki looked out over the water. “There are people I want to protect. The same ones you do.”

Nana stayed quiet, listening.

Misaki hesitated, fingers tightening around her drink. “But there’s one person I want to protect more than anyone else."

Nana turned fully toward her.

Misaki met her gaze, bangs falling over one eye. Her expression didn’t waver.

“You,” she said.

Nana laughed softly... but it came out uneven. She blinked once, hard, and stepped forward before Misaki could say anything else, pulling her into a hug.

Their drinks sat forgotten on the railing, untouched.

At their spot, Takeshi’s phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen, the ease leaving his face as he turned and walked toward a shaded corridor away from the crowd.

Back in the pool, Yuzuriha lingered beside Emiko for a moment, water lapping quietly around them. Then she pushed herself up from the edge and said she was going to grab a drink. Emiko nodded with a smile before swimming off toward Reina and Emi.

Yuzuriha reached their spot and picked up one of the drinks Takeshi had brought. Just as she was about to take a sip, her phone vibrated inside her backpack.

She froze for a heartbeat, then slowly pulled it out. The screen lit with a notification.

As she read the message, Yuzuriha’s gaze lingered. Her thoughts drifted away.

When she closed the screen and slid the phone away, her hand brushed the white ring woven into her braid — only then did she notice.

She took a measured sip of her drink and turned back toward the pool. By the time she rejoined Emiko, her expression had already settled.