...
A/N: So I started this fic for aisubekijo and finished it for peroxidepest17's bday (belated), but it's long enough to dedicate to sazabe as well.
Technically, this is the sequel to My Silhouette Lover, but it's very different.
In between My Silhouette Lover and this part, my views and opinions of people have changed. It's not completely consistent w/part 1 in terms of characterization or pov or style; I tried but it's easy to spot differences. And it's rather messy, but well thought I'd put it up before I move.
Anyway, here you go, Joanne, HY. Sorry Joanne, there's not much Massu. Sorry HY but there is more KAT-TUN than I thought I'd put. Sorry KAT-TUN fans, not all of it is pleasant (though there is slight Akame).
KATTTUNNYSTK's Member Ai
Part 1: Drama Special and Go!
Warnings: slight spoilers to My Boss My Hero, if you think about it hard enough.
After the Kame-Yamapi fight (which Jin overheard Shige tell Ryo, "I think Kamenashi-kun started the fight on purpose," to which Ryo snorted and said, "I was there and it was disgustingly planned," and Jin thought they were obviously wrong, Kame just got really hungry), Tegoshi recovered from his cold and returned for the recording of the song.
"Welcome back," Jin said to Tegoshi, who beamed and thanked him.
Tegoshi asked Shige and Koyama what he missed, and Shige and Koyama filled him in as they waited for the manager to show up for the recording. Jin listened for a bit and then went to sit next to Yamapi, who was flipping through a magazine.
"So then," Shige explained, "Yamashita-kun and Kamenashi-kun got into a kissing contest."
Tegoshi giggled. "Well," he said, "Yamashita-kun has good features. I'd want to kiss him too."
Koyama and Shige both started laughing.
Jin pretended he wasn't eavesdropping, but he thought the entire exchange was highly amusing.
"If he can do it, so can you," Koyama snickered, and Tegoshi's face lit up.
"I'm going to," he declared, and Shige and Koyama applauded and cried, "Tegoshi, Kakkoii-ssu!"
Tegoshi sauntered over to where Jin and Yamapi were sitting next to each other. Tegoshi plopped himself into Yamapi's lap.
It was one thing to hear them joke around, but this was something else entirely. Jin stared. Yamapi asked, "How's your cold?"
"All gone!" Tegoshi proclaimed, "Ne, I heard you won a kissing contest two days ago."
Yamapi nodded. He did not look particularly freaked out the way Jin thought the entire thing was strange. Jin glanced at his own band members.
Ueda nudged Nakamaru. "Am I the only one who finds the lap thing strange?"
Maru shrugged. "Massu tells me some stories."
"I want to kiss Yamashita-san too!" Tegoshi declared. "Can I?"
Shige and Koyama laughed loudly. "He said it, he said it!"
"You don't want to kiss him Tego-nyan," Ryo said. "He just ate; he'll taste like nothing but onions."
"Onions taste good," Massu said.
Koki made a face. "He just got over a cold. Don't kiss him Tomopi, he'll just get you sick. Gross."
Tegoshi looked at Yamapi with wide eyes. "Am I gross?"
Kame walked into the room just as Yamapi said, "I'm immune to anything NewS members catch," and pecked Tegoshi lightly on the cheek.
Tegoshi beamed at him, got up, and rejoined Koyama and Shige. Yamapi returned his attention to the magazine but soon found himself at the end of Jin's stare.
"Hey-- do you just let anyone who wants to kiss you, kiss you? Or sit in your lap?" Jin asked. "If I asked, could I?"
Yamapi slapped his shoulder. "Bakanishi. You did before."
"That doesn't count that was years ago!" Jin complained. "Kame was one thing, but this is unfair."
Yamapi rolled his eyes. "Do you want to kiss me?"
"No," Jin admitted, "But that's not the point! It's the--the principle of the thing, that's it!" He gave Yamapi an incredulous look. "You mentioned it in interviews but I thought you were just making it up. I didn't know Tegoshi really sat in people's laps. Can anyone do this?"
Yamapi shrugged.
"No one else would really want to," Koyama pointed out. Shige and Ryo exchanged a look. Koyama continued, "Tegoshi just likes to be able to do whatever he wants and we baby him."
"That's about it," Tegoshi admitted with a bright smile.
"But he's not in love with Pi?" Jin insisted.
"No," Yamapi and Tegoshi said at the same time. Tegoshi added, "Though I love Yamashita-kun all the same!" and Yamapi cracked an embarrassed smile. Koyama and Shige call Tegoshi cool again.
"What's the problem?" Ryo challenged Jin. "Yamapi's been kissing people ever since Takki, which means since what-- sixth grade? Obviously this does not make him a more desirable object than, say, a Sexy Osaka Man." He commanded Tegoshi, "Hey, kiss me."
Tegoshi obediently walked over and kissed him on the cheek. Ryo patted him on the back and all of NewS snickered.
Jin, however, and the other members of KAT-TUN all had equal expressions of horrified fascination.
"You guys are weird," Koki said.
"No fair!" Jin complained. "No one in KAT-TUN kisses me!"
"That's because you're stu--" Ryo began, but Yamapi moved quicker and pecked Jin on the cheek.
"There, Bakanishi," Yamapi said, "Satisfied?"
Jin beamed. "We can learn a lot from NewS!" he declared at Ueda and Maru, who both subsequently avoided eye contact with him.
"Um, Kame?" Junno asked. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Kame snapped.
---
Kame was one of the six to be given a solo that was sung, along with Yamapi, Ryo, Tegoshi, Massu, and Jin; Maru and Koki were given a beat box/rap sequence. (Kame tried complaining that NewS had too many singing solo parts, but Ryo replied, "God is just.")
The recording took longer than planned because Kame's voice kept wavering out of balance. It got to the point where the music producers muttered that if Kame weren't so popular, they'd give his solo to Maru instead.
"Go talk to him," Jin told Yamapi.
Yamapi gave him a curious look. "I was going to anyway," he said.
He went over to Kame and pat Kame's shoulder reassuringly. "Do your best," Yamapi said, and then Kame returned and sang perfectly.
Orchestrating twelve singers, however, was still a challenge for the producers used to 5 to 8 member boy band groups (they had never worked with Morning Musume). KATTTUNNYSTK went over schedule by a day, and the day after they were called into another emergency meeting.
--
"My brother," Mary said sighing as the new schedules were passed out, "Has decided against putting *all* of you in for the next Dreamboyz production. He wants to use it to promote some fresher, scandal-free faces.
"But don't worry, we have an even better promotional activity for "My Silhouette Lover"-- you'll be cheering and supporting a Japanese team in a worldwide competition. Unfortunately, volleyball season will be used to promote a different JE group, however after much discussion, we've decided to try something different.
"In two months, Japan's top Go players will be competing in the Asian TV Cup. You will be cheering them on."
Silence.
Shige raised his hand. "But Go is a game that requires a lot of concentration, isn't it?"
Mary continued without looking at him. "Last year's championship was taken by Korea. This year Japan will work hard to regain its title. Several prominent Japanese and Korean broadcast channels will be covering the event. Since Hikaru no Go's end, interest in Go has been stagnating, and they wanted a way to spice it up for sponsors. We've already spoken with SM Entertainment, and they're sending out a boyband as well. You will be competing against their team in a direct performance competition while cheering on Japan during this exciting hayago event. The weight of Japan lies on your shoulders on this one, so you better do a good job.
"In-between practicing for your debut performance at the Go championship cups, you'll also be filming for a drama special. The special will be aired a month after your debut performance, and you'll start more promotional activities after that."
Copies of the script were handed out.
"Questions?"
Nakamaru stood up so quickly that his chair falls over. "You mean," he said, as he held the first page of the script with trembling hands, "We're ALL going to be in this?"
Mary gave him a tolerant smile. "Yes, Nakamaru-kun. It'll be the first time we have had so many our talents in one drama, so you better all do a good job."
The last part she said with a smile, but they all remembered then how various juniors used to get picked to play Onigokko.
No one raised their hands after that, and Mary left.
The minute she was gone, the boys moved their chairs so that they could face each other, and then they all flipped to the first page.
--
MY BOSS, MY HERO SPECIAL: MY BOSS, MY TEACHER
SUMMARY:
Sakaki Makio learns that his best friend, Sakurakouji Jun, is being bullied at the high school where he student teaches and where his underling Manabe Kazuya is now attending as a student. Meanwhile, a rival group, the Black Claws, enters the Kantou Fang's territory, and has a connection with one of the students at the same school. To learn the truth and protect his friend, Makio takes over Sakurakouji's position and student teaches. In the process he teaches the students about love, loyalty, and friendship.
--
"I can't believe," Tegoshi cried, "We're doing a sequel to My Boss My Hero!" He threw his arms around Koki in excitement. They cheered, "We get to work with Nagase-senpai again! FREE RAMEN!"
Nakamaru flipped to the casting page and exclaimed, "Oh look! Yamashita's a rival yakuza heir!" and Yamapi pumped his fist. "And his gangsters are me and... Massu..."
All eyes turned to Masuda, who smiled.
"I don't see it," Koki said.
"It's simple," Nakamaru said. "Massu has a great smile. So all he has to do is NOT SMILE."
Masuda tried to look serious.
"Yeah ok, I don't know either," Nakamaru admitted. He shrugged. "At least we can be gangsters together!" he told Massu, who gave him a great smile in response.
Some of the other boys were less enthused about their roles.
Ueda complained first. "This is my first drama, and I'm stuck playing a guy who used to be Nishikido's best friend." He sighed loudly. "And why do I have to be a class idol at an all boy's school?"
"Someone has to be the girlfriend," Koyama said, not looking up from his copy of the script. He paused and then said, "Er-- not that I'm trying to imply anything, it was the first thing to come to my mind, sorry!"
Ueda looked at him sadly. "I am never going to be able to work with girls," he said.
Koyama gave him a positively upbeat smile. "It'll be fun anyway, ne."
His smile was contagious. Ueda smiled back shyly and asked, "Who are you playing?"
Koyama said cheerfully, "I'm the class president dying of cancer."
Shige frowned. "Why do I have to play a guy who's bullied?" he asked.
"Because it requires no acting talent," Ryo said. He saw the look on Shige's face and then he said in a softer voice, "Don't worry, it'll be easier this way. I bully you all the time."
"But I don't take your bullying lying down," Shige said.
"I play a guy being bullied too," Junno told Shige with a reassuring smile.
"Art imitates life," Koki said wisely.
Kame said to Jin, "We're playing class delinquents again. Like in Gokusen 2." He did not look, however, particularly pleased and Jin knew that Kame was thinking about how easy it was to be typecast, and that he would rather be typecast as a character like Shuuji than as a student who was beaten up in every other episode.
"It's different though," Jin said, "I was the thug leader then. Now I've been demoted to being a lackey with you."
Kame flipped a few pages and studied his script more carefully. "Wait, you mean--"
"Yeah. It's Ryo."
They both looked at Ryo, who laughed.
Kame said, "This is unfair."
"Nishikido-kun," Shige said suddenly, "Do you realize what being a delinquent leader means?"
"What?"
"You," Shige said, "Are the one who's going to be bullying Tegoshi-sensei."
Tegoshi smiled brightly. "That means I get a lot of solo scenes with Ryo-tan!"
Shige, Koyama, Massu, and Yamapi laughed. KAT-TUN looked confused while Ryo scowled.
---
The resulting casting page:
MAIN CAST
Kantou Fang - Kantou region Yakuzas from My Boss, My Hero
Sakaki Makio, the Kantou Fang - Nagase Tomoya
Manabe Kazuya, former underling and now a student at Shin Hikari High School - Tanaka Koki
Sakaki Mikio, younger brother of Makio - Kikawada Masaya
Sakaki Kichi, father of Makio, retired boss of the Kantou Fang who step in when needed - Ichimura Masachika
Kuroi Teruyuki, loyal underling to Makio - Osugi Ren
Black Claw - rival new technology gang entering the Kantou region
Kuroi Ken, new leader of the Black Claws, distant relative of Teruyuki - Yamashita Tomohisa
Yamazaki Renji, underling to Ken - Masuda Takahisa
Sato Hideyoshi, underling to Ken - Nakamura Yuichi
Shin Hikari High School, Class 3G - all boy's school with poor reputation
Sakurakouji Jun, Makio's best friend and now a student teacher - Tegoshi Yuya
Kuroi Tetsuya, Class 3G delinquent leader - Nishikido Ryo
Tsugawa Hiroyuki, Tetsuya's underling and friend - Akanishi Jin
Ito Takaya, Tetsuya's underling and friend - Kamenashi Kazuya
Okada Masato, Ken's cousin and bullied by Tetsuya - Kato Shigeaki
Kurosawa Yusuke - class idol, Tetsuya's childhood friend - Ueda Tatsuya
Yamada Masahiro - class president, has lymphoma - Koyama Keiichiro
Mizuno Koji, bullied student, befriends Manabe Kazuya - Taguchi Junno
--
"It's fine, Makki, it's fine!" Sakurakouji Jun insisted. His voice trembled as he spoke.
"Who did this to you?" Makio demanded, voice booming with anger that demonstrated his full power as the current head of the Kantou Sharp Fangs. He grabbed his friend's chin roughly and pulled his face closer for inspection. Marring Sakurakouji's cheek was an ugly purple bruise.
"What happened?"
Kazu fell to the floor in supplication. "Please forgive me, Aniki!"
"DID YOU DO THIS!" Makio screamed. "DID YOU?"
Sakurakouji intervened. "No, it's my fault. I'm new at student teaching and not a very good teacher. It was some of the students." His eyes became watery.
Makio looked panicky. He grabbed Kazu and shook him. "What happened?"
Kazu gasped, "I'm sorry, Aniki! I was trying to be a good student and stay out of trouble and I couldn't do anything!"
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Makio roared.
"It's not his fault!" Sakurakouji shouted, and then though he fought against it, the tears began to slide down his face.
At their appearance, three voices screamed off-camera: "DON'T CRY TEGOSHI!" while another shouted, "Tego-nyan it'll be okay!"
"Cut!" The director shouted. He scrambled out of his chair and threw down his hat. "All right, that's IT! Only Nagase-san, Tanaka-san, and Tegoshi-san can be in this room. All the other actors, GET OUT!"
Tegoshi waved at his friends as they were escorted off-set by film crew members.
--
"Why did you guys do it?" Kame asked Ryo, Shige, Koyama, and Masuda afterwards. "You just wasted valuable film."
Ryo said, "You'd never understand since you don't have any friends."
When Kame stared at him in shocked insult, Yamapi punched Ryo in the arm.
Ryo sighed. "Ok, I retract my statement. But only because I don't want to cook for Yamapi."
"What's wrong with your members?" Kame asked Yamapi, whose free arm was slung around Jin's.
Yamapi looked at him blankly. "What's wrong with what?"
Shige stepped forward. "Let me see if I can explain it." He elbowed Koyama, who nodded and hooked his arm around Masuda for a team explanation.
Intrigued, Koki, Juno, Nakamaru, and Ueda joined their discussion as well.
"Um...How do you explain it? It's Tegoshi," Shige said. He gestured to himself, Masuda, and Koyama, and they all nodded in perfect synchronization. "It's instinctual."
"Tegoshi, he's really self-centered," Koyama began.
"But he's really cute and talented," Masuda said. "He's not usually the crybaby of the group. So whenever he does cry, one of us is always there to look after him."
Shige said, "He sort of evokes this feeling of protectiveness from everyone who meets him."
"Mostly it was his baby cheeks," Koyama said in a serious voice. "We couldn't help but baby him back then. Now that they're not as round it's not as compelling, but it's a habit."
"We never baby Shige because he looks old," Masuda added.
Nakamaru clapped his hands in realization. "It makes sense!" he cried against Shige's protest.
"Anyway," Koyama said, "So that's how it is. Yamapi is our Prince. Tegoshi is like our Princess who has to be protected."
Shige snorted and said, "It's more like all of us, including Yamashita-kun, are trapped in Lord Tegoshi's palm as he stares down at us from above."
"You guys are so weird," Ueda muttered.
"It's good Member Ai," Koyama said. "When Tegoshi cries, we all act on reflex."
"It's," Kame said slowly, "A. DRAMA."
"AND YOU," Ryo shot back, "ARE UGLY."
"Ryo," Jin said, but it's too late.
"IT'S A FIGHT," Koki and Nakamaru declared gleefully.
"I don't want to cook for you," Ryo told Yamapi.
"But, but!" Yamapi said and looked earnest. "It's been so long since I've had okonomiyaki. Kame can do Tokyo-style, and you can do Osaka-style and we can decide which version tastes better once and for all!"
"Osaka's, obviously," Ryo said. Shige nodded in agreement.
"Then prove it?" Yamapi pleaded.
Kame looked at Yamapi and then took a deep breath. "Tokyo's obviously is better," Kame said confidently to Ryo.
Jin nodded in agreement. "Osaka-style has too much lettuce."
Ryo's eyes flashed. "You are SO ON."
The cooking contest, however, could only take place during their free time. Filming instead ensued.
--
"His name is Manabe Kazuya," Sakurakouji-sensei announced. "Please welcome him to the class."
Silence. Kazu sat down.
Sakurakouji Jun began his lecture.
"So this is high school," Kazu said to himself. He looked around the room hopefully.
Very few aside from the class president was paying attention. The boy sitting next to Kazu was sleeping. Several students were talking openly. One boy wearing pink lipstick was doing his nails, while another stared.
The boy in front of Kazu turned to him with a huge smile. "I hope we can be friends," he said.
Koki smacked him on top of the head. "Taguchi, you're supposed to be a bullied kid and smile tentatively, not smile like we're already friends--"
"Cut!" The director screamed.
"Sorry," Koki said, "Habit."
--
"Please let me know if you need any help with your studies," Koyama said. Shige fought back the urge to roll his eyes; he nodded slightly and hurried out on his own.
He walked by himself for a bit, ignoring the other students walking by, when a hand grabbed him and pulled him off his path.
Ryo was flanked by Kame and Jin and they were all staring. "Do you have what I asked?" He didn't let go of Shige's arm.
Shige nodded and began digging into his school bag with his free hand.
"What are you doing?" Ueda asked, interrupting them.
Ryo stared at Ueda. The camera man moved in to zoom in on Ueda's face, and--
Ryo said, "Make eye contact and stare at me, idiot. And don't mumble."
"I'm not mumbling," Ueda mumbled, averting his eyes.
"Just cut it," the director said wearily. He got up and left the room.
"Ryo-chan, you're too scary," Jin complained. "This is Tat-chan's first drama, be nice!"
Ryo rolled his eyes. "I'm a bully and we're in a confrontational scene. How am I supposed to be nice?"
"Well you could leave it up to the director or Kame to tell him how to fix it," Jin pointed out.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kame asked.
"We're just used to you correcting us," Jin explained.
"He'll suck either way," Ryo said.
Kame ignored him. "You say that like I do it all the time."
Jin said, "You DO it all the time. That's why we're used to it."
"I do not!"
"You do too!"
"Don't be nervous," Shige told Ueda as Jin and Kame argued. He laughed self-consciously. "Though I'd get nervous having a fight with Nishikido-kun too."
"Shige," Ryo said, sounding betrayed as he joined them in ignoring Jin and Kame. "I'm hurt. Do you want me to beat you up?"
"There was a time I was so scared of him that I couldn't look him in the eye," Shige told Ueda, who laughed.
"But you became braver," Ryo said.
Shige smiled. "I think I just realized that Nishikido-kun is kinder than before."
Ryo preened, even as he said, "You're just getting used to it. I pick on you only out of affection." He told Ueda, "Just look me in the eye during our scene. You're not supposed to be afraid of me. Let's get this scene done and over with before my minions kill themselves."
Shige pondered aloud, "Do inner-group fights count as a contest?"
"I doubt it," Ryo said, "Or we'd have contests every hour."
--
The Heir to the Black Claws (Yamapi), flanked by two of his henchmen, stared at Makio calmly. "We talked to your brother," he said, "And he's willing to work with us."
Makio stood up and stared down at him. "You leave my brother alone," he threatened.
One of Black Claws stepped between them. He was shorter than both the Black Claw Heir and Makio and he had chubby cheeks. He glared at Makio, giving the effect of a five year old standing up to an adult.
Nagase tried to keep a straight face in return, but he ended up howling, "He can't--I can't--haha, he looks so funny pretending to be angry with those cheeks!"
"I know right?" Maru agreed, laughing as well. "I've seen him mad, but Koyama's right. When he pretends to be mad, it's about as effective as an angry Winnie the Pooh!"
Massu blinked. "Huh?"
Yamapi pat him on the shoulder and automatically gave him a candy bar. Massu opened it immediately.
The director sighed and covered his eyes.
--
Ryo slammed Tegoshi against the wall.
"Sensei, you," Ryo sneered, "Are a-- uh, oh Tego-nyan don't cry--"
"CUT!" The director screamed in agony. "Oh my god, CUT. Ten minute break!"
--
"This scene is taking FOREVER," Koki complained when they were all getting drinks from the break room.
"That's because you're not facing his tears directly!" Ryo said. "It's HARD, okay?"
"You're just a bad actor," Koki said. But when Ryo turns Tegoshi's still slightly red face toward him, Koki quickly hid behind Nakamaru.
"No more fighting," Yamapi said. "We haven't even had the cooking contest yet."
"We're not fighting," Ryo said irritably. He sat down next to Ueda without looking, but when he noticed the other, he immediately moved away.
Ueda, however, did not notice. "I get a love confession scene," he told Jin in a sad voice, "With a boy." He shuddered. "It's like high school all over again."
Jin pat his arm.
Nagase meanwhile looked at Yamapi with interest. "What cooking contest?"
"Oh, that," Yamapi said. He gestured to Nakamaru with his thumb. "Well, our group's big, ne. Fights have to be settled with challenge battles. Ryo and Kame got into a fight, so they have to do a cooking contest next."
"Huh," Nagase said. "What happens to the loser?"
Yamapi blinked. "He loses, of course." As neither Jin nor he enjoyed losing, this was indeed a punishment to the brains behind the contest battles.
"But that's not enough," Nagase insisted. "You should have a punishment system too. So the winner wins and the loser gets punished."
The younger boys all stared at him in amazement.
"Wow, never thought of it that way," Yamapi said in awe. He looked at Nakamaru. "Nothing too mean, hopefully," he added, as he was friends with most everyone in both groups. "Leader, what do you think?"
"What kind of punishment should we have?" Nakamaru asked, calling for a show of hands.
Koki raised his hand immediately. "The loser of this round has to make Tegoshi cry."
Ryo shot him a look of absolute fury. "Do you want to pick on him because he has more talent than all of KAT-TUN combined?"
"Ryo-chan!" Jin protested.
Ryo rolled his eyes. "Jin, let's face it. You guys can sing solo fine but when you try to sing together, you sound like a bunch of cawing chickens trying to drown each other out."
"Ryo-chan, you're meeeean," Jin complained.
Nagase smacked Koki upside the head. "Don't make Yuya cry." Koki apologized while Tegoshi smiled brightly.
"Does this count as a fight?" Maru asked tentatively. "Nishikido versus Kame first, then Koki, then Jin."
"I can take on all of KAT-TUN," Ryo said. "It's not like they have teamwork."
"I'm not fighting Ryo-chan," Jin said quickly.
"I'm not interested in another fight with Nishikido-kun," Ueda said.
"I like Nishikido-kun. We're best friends!" Junno declared. Everyone stared at him in amazement.
"Right?" Junno asked, turning and smiling at Ryo.
Ryo was speechless. "Er..."
Koki dropkicked Junno. "Traitor!"
There was scattered laughter when Junno fell (mostly from KAT-TUN, who was used to these displays from CARTOON KAT-TUN), but instantly Koyama was by Junno's side.
"Are you okay?" Koyama asked. "That looked like a forceful kick."
"Didn't he get injured in his lower back before?" Tegoshi asked Koki with wide eyes. "Next time when you kick him, be careful, ne."
Koki bristled. "Don't tell me how I should be interacting with my own members."
"But," Tegoshi said smiling, "He's our member right now too. Ne?" He looked imploringly at the rest of NewS. Koyama, Shige, and Massu nodded.
"Tanaka-kun, all of our initials are represented in KATTTUNNYSTK," Shige said.
Koki rolled his eyes. "Don't interfere with things you don't understand," he told Shige.
"He doesn't hit him very hard," Kame defended. "This is like--like our member love for Junno."
"I hit Junno too," Jin agreed. "It's normal."
"I'm okay," Junno said with a smile as Koyama helped him up. "Really."
"There, see? He's fine," Koki declared. He glared at Shige and Tegoshi.
Tegoshi blinked innocently. "I just think you should be careful next time, that's all."
Shige added, "It's not particularly hard to understand that kicking an idol's weak spot could have consequences on that idol's dancing skills, which could affect group performances."
Koki reddened. "This is coming from the worst singer and dancer in NewS," he said. "Actually the worst in our entire group."
Silence.
Shige laughed awkwardly.
"That's not true!" Tegoshi cried.
"That's mean," Jin said.
Kame said, "Maa, maa, Let's just forget about this, okay? What were we just talking about?" He gave them all an exaggerated look of confusion.
Ryo said, "We were talking about the contests. And you know what? Forget it. These contests were a stupid idea in the first place." He crossed his arms and glared at Koki. "If someone has a fight, then I say we just fight about it."
"Alright," Koki said, glaring back.
Immediately the other boys stepped in and pulled them away from each other.
"Ryo-chan," Jin said. "We can't fight like when we were younger. We're not just backdancers anymore, we're now at the center of photo shoots."
"Everyone, let's calm down," Yamapi said.
"Let's all go out to eat!" Junno suggested. No one even looked at him.
Nagase laughed loudly and clapped. After everyone turned to stare at him, he said with fondness in his voice, "God, I have stupid kouhai. All right everyone, this is interesting and all, but remember that we're all professionals and we all have to work with each other, even if not everyone gets along. You don't want to cause any rumors or scandals, believe me. Everyone must work hard." He paused and said, "Who's the leader of your group again?"
"Us together? Me," said Nakamaru.
Nagase gave him a strange look, but shrugged. "All right, leader. Let's get everyone rounded up." And they all formed a circle.
"WE WILL ALL WORK HARD TOGETHER," Nagase bellowed. The other boys cheered, "YEAH!" together.
When the circle broke apart, Ryo kicked Koki in the shins.
--
After shooting ended for that day, Kame and Koki were the only ones from KAT-TUN to walk together to the train station.
Kame said to Koki, "I don't get it. Why does everyone in NewS --and Nagase-senpai-- trip over themselves for Tegoshi?"
Koki said, "Well it happened on the set of My Boss My Hero too. And Nagase has been hanging around him more lately."
Kame replied, "The fight today started because Nishikido-kun was upset when you joked about making Tegoshi cry. I don't get it. He's talented, I know, but I don't understand this whole overprotective attitude, just because he's the youngest."
Koki said nothing because Kame was the youngest in their group, but they never babied him.
--
"Massu and I are going shopping," Maru said to Ueda. "Want to come?"
Ueda has never read Koyama's j-web, but even he had heard of Massu's infamous indecisiveness in shopping. Still, what harm could it do?
Three hours later, when Massu was still deciding which of two shirts he wanted to buy -- an epic struggle that had consumed his attention for the last forty minutes-- Ueda couldn't stand a minute longer.
"Your birthday was back in July, right?"
Massu nodded.
Ueda grabbed both shirts and paid for it with his father's credit card.
"Here," he said to Massu, giving him both. "Happy belated."
He was going to leave and call a taxi right then and there, but Massu gave him an incredibly happy smile that showed both dimples of his cheeks.
"Thank you," Massu said.
Ueda gave back a reflexive smile and glanced at Nakamaru, who had a knowing look on his face.
And then Ueda understood why Nakamaru shopped with Massu.
--
Tegoshi, Shige, and Koyama headed back together.
"I don't think it was true at all," Tegoshi told Shige as they head home. "Ueda's obviously the worst dancer. And you've gotten a lot better."
Shige winced.
Koyama pat Shige on the back. "Shige, you're really good. Don't listen to him."
Shige gave a weak laugh. "It's okay, it's okay. I have to work harder, that's all. I am the worst in the group, maybe Tanaka-kun can give me tips on improving artistic skills and then I can teach him things like what the word "homie" means and pointers on how to avoid being typecast as a particular kind of character in dramas."
Koyama and Tegoshi laughed.
"Shige!"
They all turn to see Yamapi, Ryo, and Jin catching up. Jin hung back as Yamapi and Ryo moved to join the rest of their band.
Yamapi walked up to Shige and gave him a sudden hug. It didn't last very long, but Shige was so surprised that he didn't react.
"I am glad you're in NewS," Yamapi said.
"T-thanks," Shige stuttered, and then blushed.
Yamapi pumped his fist. "Yosha! Tomorrow we will all work hard, ne?"
"YOSHA!"
"Sasuga, Leader!" Tegoshi cheered.
Ryo told Shige, "There was a reason it took them so long to debut, you know."
"Hey," Jin protested.
Their group split up then-- Yamapi, Jin, Ryo headed off in one direction, while Tegoshi, Shige, and Koyama headed off in another. But they left smiling.
--
Junno took the subway back by himself.
--
Saturday the film crew had the day off, but for KATTTUNNYSTK, it was a day for one of their most intensive choreography dance lessons. The dance instructor drilled them relentlessly, and then left them to practice by themselves.
The dance was supposed to be an extension of the dance they learned for the "My Silhouette Lover," promotional video; however this time all twelve of them are required to dance together, whereas for the music video they were shown dancing in smaller groups. Additionally several difficult moves and coordination movements were added, making the final dance drastically different from what was learned during the filming of the pv.
Kame tried to hold it in, but he couldn't. "You're doing it wrong," he told Shige. "Move your hands at a 45 degree angle when you turn. You're doing it too wide."
Shige looked surprised, but nodded. "Okay. Thanks."
Shige seemed sincere. Encouraged by this, Kame continued giving Shige helpful pointers. It is a rare feeling for him to work with a member that's younger than he is.
His efforts, however, seemed to be in vain. Shige struggled with the moves and seemed to be getting worse under Kamenashi's eyes.
"No, look, like this--"
"Kame, leave him alone," Jin said. "I told you, you criticize too much. We're used to that, but NewS members aren't."
Kame turned to Shige. "You don't mind me helping you out, do you?"
"Um," Shige said. "Kamenashi-kun's a terrific dancer, and I'm terrible. I appreciate the help. But I need to practice a little bit on my own. I get nervous practicing while being watched this closely."
"Oh," said Kame, embarrassed, and slightly amazed that someone who did not like his suggestions told him in his face.
"Er. Sorry." Shige said. "Thanks anyway."
Kame stalked back to his place next to Jin, who smirked.
"Shut up."
"I didn't say anything," Jin protested. He added wisely, "But I told you so."
"Kame-chan," Yamapi said, as he twisted and turned in formation with the others. "We still have a while to go before our performance, no worries."
"I know that," Kame said, dancing. "I just think it's best to correct mistakes in the beginning."
In the mirror, Kame watched Shige. Shige danced next to Koyama, and BOTH of them are making the same mistake that Kame had been trying to correct. But even as both have looks of concentration on their faces, they both occasionally looked at each other and smiled.
At their first break, Shige and Koyama went up to Massu. They did a practice run through, Massu made a few comments, and then they resumed dancing, problem corrected with Massu's thirty second comment, compared to Kame's careful twenty minutes of guidance.
Kame tried not to feel sulky about the whole situation, but he couldn't help it. He turned his attention to Jin, who was dancing next to Pi.
Yamapi was as good-looking as ever, and his dancing had certainly leveled up. Kame watched Yamapi, then Jin. Jin was still out of practice since his return, Kame thought, even though he knew that Jin is a good dancer.
He made a comment about one of Jin's turns, and Jin raised his eyebrows and then the two of them bickered for a bit. Kame tried to correct something, but Jin was stubborn and clearly getting angry and then Yamapi broke them up.
Kame turned his attention to Ueda. At least Ueda appreciated his criticism.
Ueda as usual was the worst dancer.
--
That night, reflecting over the events of the day, Shige turned on his computer. Even though they were taking their dancing and choreography lessons in-between filming, no one ever really mentioned the Go competition.
Shige typed into a search engine, "Korean boyband SM entertainment."
His jaw dropped. Fifteen minutes later, he called up Tegoshi and Koyama.
--
It was one of the few days off that they had, and in the spirit of their project, and at Jin's insistence ("So Ryo-chan won't feel lonely in Tokyo!" "Idiot, I've been living by myself for years." "All the more reason why~!"), Yamapi and Jin spent the night at Ryo's apartment.
They were all sleeping when Ryo's phone went off. Yamapi, lying on the floor (he lost the rock paper scissors match the night before) covered his ears underneath his blanket. Jin, on the couch, was unfortunately the closest to the phone. Jin tried to ignore it.
The phone rang again.
"Jin, make is stop," Yamapi muttered. Jin sighed and reached over and picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Er, Ryo-chan?" The voice on the other line asked, confused.
"No, he's sleeping," Jin said.
A pause, and then there was a scuffle and rapid whispering on the other line. Jin yawned. Yamapi snored.
"Good morning," said an obscenely cheerful voice, different from the one before.
Jin cringed. "Morning," he croaked.
"Are you Ryo-tan's lover?"
Jin was confused. "Huh?"
"Who is this?"
Jin blinked. "Who am I? Who are you?"
At this point, Ryo entered the living room in his bathrobe, hair dripping wet. Yamapi covered his face.
Ryo took the phone from Jin, who fell back onto the couch.
"Hello?" Ryo listened to the other line. "Tego-nyan, it's a bit early, isn't it?"
Ryo continued to listen as he nudged Yamapi's sleeping form with his foot. Yamapi swatted his foot away and curled up. Ryo said, "Come over a little later. Pi and Jin are still sleeping."
He listened some more, sighed, and then turned off the phone. "Hey, the rest of NewS are already on their way over." He left for the bathroom.
"Why are your members so annoying?" Jin complained to Yamapi. "Who would hang out with their own members in their private time?"
"They're loveable, not annoying," Yamapi mumbled. He sighed, sat up, and rubbed his eyes. "The four of them hang out in their private time a lot. It's usually me and Ryo, though, because of our schedules. But we've all become a lot closer during our comeback."
"That's not fair," Jin said, stretching out on the couch. "It's been the opposite for my comeback. I left KAT-TUN as friends and came back to find co-workers."
Yamapi sat up and smacked Jin's leg. "It's because they missed you, Bakanishi."
Jin kicked at him. "Will you be happy or angry when Uchi and Kusano return?"
Yamapi said, "We've actually grown up a lot during the suspension, so when I look at it this way, it was a good thing."
"Bet it'll change when they return and have to catch up to everything you're doing," Jin said resentfully. Kame certainly wasn't happy with him.
Yamapi shrugged. "Maybe. But I think everyone will be happier when they return. We're all waiting together."
Ryo returned, dressed. "They say they're bringing breakfast."
Yamapi mused, "Do you think it's--"
"--Miso soup?" They all said.
It did end up being miso soup, of the grocery package variety. The minute they enter, Koyama headed for the kitchen to boil the water while Shige asked Ryo if he could borrow his laptop.
Shige set the laptop up, and started typing. "We're a twelve person group, right? This is a thirteen person band from Korea," Shige said. He loaded up a streaming video, turned up the volume, and they watched the live performance of Super Junior's "U."
Super Junior moved together with careful coordination that rotated members into solo spots and in and out of the front. Their moves were fast and decidedly with a hip-hop edge.
"With their outfits they all sort of look the same, don't they?" Massu asked.
Shige sighed. "That is what we're going to look like to Go audience members who don't know who we are."
"They're good, but if we work hard, we'll be fine," Yamapi said.
"It's nothing we can't do," Koyama agreed.
"But," Tegoshi said, "Look how much they move together in synchronization. The drama filming already takes up too much time. And--"
Jin caught Ryo looking at him. "What?" He said, defensively. "We'll work hard at it. We'll do fine."
Ryo rolled his eyes.
"KAT-TUN WAS CHOSEN AS BACK-UP DANCERS," Jin said, getting upset. "WE WILL DO FINE AND WE CAN DANCE BETTER THAN NEWS ANYWAY."
"Like hell," Ryo snorted and Koyama chuckled nervously.
"No one said anything, Jin," Yamapi said, giving him a worried look.
"Anyway," Tegoshi said, "We need to build up the bond between our entire group, ne. Because if we all become closer to each other then we pay more attention to what each other is doing and then we work better as group."
"Though I think a few of Super Junior got injured right around the time Akanishi-kun returned," Shige added as an after thought.
"Either way," Tegoshi declared brightly, "I have a plan!"
--
Part 2