XXVI

“Shhh,” Rei soothed, stroking my hair gently as I sobbed into my hands. “What happened? Shhh.”

“T-t-t-hey k-k-k-kick-kicked me o-o-out of the b-b-b-b-band,” I choked, coughing as my tears made it difficult to breathe. “And S-S-S-Sach-Sachi hate-hates m-m-m-me!” I wailed and buried my face in Rei’s chest. The more I sobbed the more my head ached but I just didn’t care anymore. It was all over. Everything I’d worked for was gone. Everything I wanted was in ruins, destroyed by my own arrogance and stupidity. If I’d just waited. If I’d just listened to Sachi this wouldn’t have happened.

“What do you mean?” Rei asked, stroking my hair as I cried into her blouse.

“I’m d-d-d-d-departed!” I wailed. “They’re replacing m-m-m-me!”

“Where’d you hear that?” I waved my arm vaguely.

“On the tab-tablet,” I realized I wasn’t making sense but nothing in my life seemed to be making much sense.

“I know you’re upset, A-chan,” Rei murmured, holding me close. “Do you remember what I said?” I nodded. “You’re not keeping your wits about you. Would they kick you out? Honestly?”

“I-I don’t th-think so,” I stammered, still crying.

“Would this Sachi be mad at you for whatever happened?” Rei said. I thought for a moment.

“N-no,” I murmured, slowly regaining control over myself.

“You’ve been in show business for some time, now,” Rei soothed. “You know that rumors are all over once you get to your level. You love your band mates and I guarantee they love you. Keep your wits and think. I know you’re tired and scared and confused but now, more than ever in your life, you have to keep a cool head.”

“What’s happening, Rei?” I whispered, once more in control of my emotions.

“I don’t know, A-chan. I just don’t know. But I’m here,” Rei whispered. “You were the first friend I ever had who didn’t abandon me. Even after I left without saying anything, when I saw you again you treated me far better than I deserved. You haven’t changed and I am so grateful for that.”

“I have changed,” I insisted, sniffling. “I have a butt, now,” Rei laughed and held me close.

“I have no idea what that means, but you’re still just as weird as you always were. Remember when you found that stray cat and nursed it back to health for two days on the fire escape since you couldn’t bring it inside?”

“Sort of,” I replied, trying to remember specifics. I remembered a cat, though it didn’t look much like a cat, it was ragged and injured and its fur was matted.

“Well, Teiko and I warned you about keeping the cat inside since we could get thrown out of the hostel so you moved your blankets onto the fire escape for two days to take care of it,” Rei stroked my hair gently as she talked, just like she used to do back at the hostel.

“I got sick,” I said, memories coming to me like out of a dream.

“Yeah!” Rei chuckled. “You sat there for hours brushing that cat’s fur, tending to its wounds and hand-feeding it. Two days later when it was better it ran off and you just shrugged and said it obviously-“

“Had a prior engagement,” I finished with a chuckle.

“Exactly! You have no idea how strange and bizarre that was to me. How strange and bizarre and wondrous you were,” Rei smiled down at me. “I figured a life on top would change you. I thought about trying to meet up with you so many times but I talked myself out of it every time.”

“Why? I would have loved to see you!” I enthused.

“I was embarrassed I left like I did and thought you would be mad,” Rei said.

“I could never be mad!” I protested.

“I was scared you’d changed. That world changes people. It puts them on their guard. It makes them important. It makes them better than people like me. That’s why I’ve been working so hard for the last two and a half years,” Rei said.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I said.

“I saw how hard you worked. Every day before you went to work you danced for hours, then danced more when you got home. You wrote songs, you played music; you used to sit on the roof and sing. You worked harder than anyone I’d ever seen and I knew you would make it. I…” Rei paused and shrugged, her voice choking up. “I wanted to join you on stage. Even just once. I went to one of your concerts in Budokan.”

“Was it ok?” I asked. I had no memory of playing Budokan.

“It was…”Rei searched for the right word. “transformative. Your movements, your songs, your presence, it made me want to work harder. You were amazing.”

“I-“ I wasn’t sure what to say. “I don’t know how to thank you. I don’t remember the show. I am so honored, though, that you came and liked it. It’s all I ever wanted, to be part of something special like Kunoichi.”

“You could go solo, Akari,” Rei asked, holding me at arm’s length and staring at me. I smiled and shook my head.

“I just want to perform. I want to make people smile and be part of Kunoichi. I think we’re better together than we ever could be separately,” I replied. Rei smiled broadly.

“That’s what makes you amazing,” Rei grinned. “That’s why I left.”

“I don’t understand,” I murmured, confused.

“I-I got an offer to train with Ms. Wells. The same person who trained you,” Rei replied. “ONE. TWO. THREE. FOUR. ONE. TWO. THREE. FOUR. No! Wrong! Do it again!” the voice echoed in my head and I blinked in surprise and scowled, the memory aching painfully. “One of the conditions was that I didn’t say anything to anyone. I knew I had to train hard for the chance to one day maybe stand with you on a stage. Even if it was a backup dancer it would be enough for me. So I became her personal assistant to pay for my lessons and-” Rei noticed my expression and stopped. “I-I’m sorry, Akari. I-shit. I’m so stupid.”

“Rei? What?” I asked as she pulled away.

“I know everyone probably wants something from you,” Rei said, standing and turning away. “I know it sounds like I do, too. But I swear I don’t. I just-I’m sorry, Akari. I’m here to help you…I-“

“Stop, Rei,” I whispered, holding her hand. “Don’t apologize to me. There’s no reason to.”

“We have to get you ready for dinner,” Rei sniffed, still looking away from me. “Ms. Wells requested you wear something special for the surprise she has for you.”

“Rei?” I asked, tugging her hand gently until she looked back at me, brushing the tears from her eyes. “I would love to dance with you.”

“What if I suck?” Rei asked.

“No one sucks at dancing, Rei,” I replied with a grin. “They’re just blissfully uncoordinated.”

“You sound like that afro American painter guy,” Rei grinned.

“Oh! With the happy trees! I love watching him, though I’m pretty sure he’s a wizard because he gets from a blank canvas to a full painting while I’m still looking for my popcorn.”

“There’s definitely some magic there,” Rei agreed with a grin. “Let’s get you bathed and ready for dinner,”

“Ok,” I smiled. “What is this ‘surprise’, by the way?”

“I have no idea,” Rei replied with a scowl. “But keep your eyes open.”

“You sound like you don’t trust my ‘aunt’,” I murmured quietly into her shoulder.

“I don’t,” Rei whispered back. “And you shouldn’t, either.”