XII

“Everything’s falling apart,” Mari whispered, sitting once more in the emergency room waiting area. Yukiko sat with her head sagging onto her chest, hands clasped between her legs and nodded almost imperceptibly. “Four days ago we were getting ready for a world tour.”

“I get it,” Yukiko muttered. “I know I’m to blame. If I hadn’t agreed to that stupid idea Hiroto had in the first place this wouldn’t have happened. I regret every decision I’ve made since he showed up at my apartment.”

“Feeling guilty? Good. I warned you not to date Akari to begin with,” Mari breathed.

“I don’t regret that,” Yukiko returned. “I’ll never regret that.”

“Are you thinking of trying to repeat it?” Mari glanced over. She didn’t have Sachi’s gift for diplomacy or tact and never bothered trying to pretend she did. “Because if you are, don’t.”

“Don’t tell me what to do, Mari,” Yukiko narrowed her eyes.

“You don’t think you’ve done enough?” Mari asked. It could all be Yukiko’s fault, she decided. Akari hospitalized again, Sachi missing, the tour postponed indefinitely. It could all be Yukiko’s fault. If she’d just kept her legs closed I wouldn’t be in this position, right now, Mari thought venemously. “Besides, I thought it was all just fun and games. Nothing serious.”

“Ok! I get it! I fucked everything up!” Yukiko snapped. “But don’t act like you’re Miss Perfect or anything, Mari. You screwed half the managers in Tokyo before riding Sachi’s coattails into Kunoichi.”

“I did no such thing!” Mari looked at her in horror. “Unlike you my family has money. I don’t need this. I’m just doing it for fun.”

“Oh, come off it, Mari,” Yukiko rolled her eyes. “Everyone knows the legends of Miss Mari and her prolific wooing of any manager she could bed to break into the business. You want this as much as we all do. You love when people call your name and guys fawn over you. Try being honest with yourself for once.”

“You have the nerve to talk to me about honesty?” Mari snapped. “Even if you were set up with Naka-whatshisface you didn’t have to go to his house and stay the night. I saw the pictures, Yukiko. Hell, everyone saw the pictures of you slinking out of his house in the morning. Stop trying to paint yourself as a helpless victim. The only one that can pull that off is precious perfect princess Akari.”

“Well, you know what? I had to protect myself since we were falling apart. I heard Akari was leaving us behind and going solo and I don’t have mommy and daddy’s money to fall back on. If this falls apart I’ve got nothing,” Yukiko was trembling with anger.

“And how was being his bitch going to keep you from working in a Laundromat somewhere, Yuki? You’re just trash.”

“I wasn’t his bitch!” Yukiko yelled, standing abruptly and facing Mari. Several people had begun to look at them as the volume of their argument gradually rose. “I was scared, ok? I was terrified of just that sort of thing happening! But I’m not scared anymore. In fact, I welcome it. Working in a Laundromat would be better than this shit!” Yukiko stormed past Mari and toward the door.

“So, what? You’re just going to run away again like you always have?” Mari asked with a grin. “I swear, I see more of you running away than I ever have of you dancing. Maybe you should try to get into track?”

“It’s better than listening to you pretend you’re some saint who’s never made a mistake,” Yukiko retorted, turning back to Mari, tears flowing down her cheeks.

“Whatever, Yukiko. Your crybaby act doesn’t impress me,” Mari sighed. “Do what you want. It’s the only thing you’re good at besides spreading your legs and licking Akari’s pu-“

“You shut your fucking mouth! Don’t you dare even think about Akari like that!” Yukiko screamed, causing everyone in the waiting room to turn their way. “You don’t know anything about me! You don’t know what I’ve gone through! You don’t know how I feel! All you know is what you can see from your precious ivory tower where you can sit and try to judge everyone. Well, I don’t need your preachy shit. I’m guilty, ok! I fucking wrecked everything! I ruined us all! Is that what you wanted me to say? Are you happy, now?”

“It’s a start,” Mari shrugged.

“You are such a bitch,” Yukiko breathed, turning back to the door.

“Bye, Felicia,” Mari snapped with a smirk.

“Go fuck yourself, Mari,” Yukiko suggested, not pausing, “although it’d probably be easier to find a manager to do it for you. I’m sure there’s at least one in Tokyo you haven’t, yet.” Yukiko disappeared through the doors. Mari glanced sidelong at the other people in the waiting room staring at her and sighed.

“Screw this,” Mari growled. She grabbed her purse and stormed out of the waiting room after Yukiko into the warm spring afternoon.