“That was delicious,” Nanami sighed as they exited the elevator onto the upper observation deck of the Skytree.

“It was,” Koemi walked beside the taller woman as they made their way to the windows overlooking Tokyo. “Not a lot there, though.”

“The price you pay for fanciness,” Nanami shrugged, leaning on the railing. “But it was the best Valentine’s Date I’ve ever had.”

“Same,” Koemi said, looking toward the black void of Tokyo Harbor.

“Everything looks so small and so vast at the same time,” Nanami breathed, staring with eyes reflecting the shimmering glow of Tokyo over the vista before her.

“Like we’re the only people on earth.”

“Yeah, it does,” Nanami agreed with a nod.

“Why did you come to Tokyo?” Koemi glanced over at Nanami.

“I had to get away from Tottori. Everything’s so stodgy and conservative and petty there. You’re pigeonholed into a life you can’t ever break out of if you don’t leave young. Railroaded into being something you never wanted. For some people, like my sister, it suits them fine. For others, like me, it’s a nightmare. So…rather than do what I was told I did what I wanted, no matter how much it pissed everyone else off.”

“Huh,” Koemi chuckled mirthlessly. “I know that feeling.”

“I take it your parents weren’t keen on you becoming an idol?”

“That’s putting it lightly. Honestly, the only reason I could was because of my sister. Sachi kind of took the hits for me. My dad wanted us to become lawyers like him. Sachi made a deal with him where she’d graduate top in her class and I got to do what I wanted.”

“Sounds like she took one for the team,” Nanami scowled. “I thought you said your sister was in the band with you, though.”

“Ah, that’s where Sachi out lawyered the lawyer,” Koemi grinned. “She graduated top of her class, passed her bar exam, became a lawyer, then quit the next week to join Kunoichi.”

“Wow, got out on a technicality. Impressive.”

“Oh, he was so pissed! I thought he was going to stroke out right there. I was in a different band at the time and only heard about it when I got back from the tour I was on, but he was raging for like two days straight.”

“But you’re in the same band, now?”

“Yeah, some crap went down with one of our other bandmates awhile ago and I finagled my way in. Sachi was…not pleased. But things are good, now. But I get what you mean by being pigeonholed. Like you’ll drown if you don’t break free.”

“Exactly!” Nanami nodded. “It’s not been easy. I have a shitty apartment, a shitty job, and a string of shitty exes for my troubles. But, every day with my shittiness is better than one second living with other people’s imposed on me. I may make every wrong decision known to man and then some, but at least they’re mine.”

“What about now?” Koemi asked, shooting her an appraising look.

“How do you mean?”

“Do you regret this decision?”

“Not yet,” Nanami smiled.

“So, do you want to press our luck with juice at my apartment?”

“Why not?” Nanami grinned.

“Excellent!” Koemi chuckled, taking her hand, and leading her back to the elevator.

“Man did I get into the wrong business,” Nanami muttered as Koemi flicked the lights to her apartment on. “I think this apartment may be bigger than Tottori. Do you live here by yourself?”

“I have a cat, but he’s an asshole and is probably taking a crap in my guest bathtub as retaliation for me going out. Would you like white grape, apple or non-Sicilian orange?”

“I think I’ll be having the white grape this evening,” Nanami replied, sitting down heavily on the plush couch overlooking Tokyo Bay and letting out a long sigh.

“Excellent choice, madam, the white grape is a very good week,” Koemi filled two glasses before putting the bottles in her woefully empty refrigerator.

Koemi kicked off her shoes and handed Nanami a crystal wine glass filled with grape juice before sitting next to her on the couch. Nanami thought for a moment before kicking off her shoes as well, sighing with gratitude as she clenched her toes in the deep pile of the area rug.

“Oh my god that is so good,” Nanami groaned, not realizing how tired her feet were.

“Right? It’s some kind of rug my sister recommended to me. It’s supposed to help with tired feet and legs. I don’t know whether it’s a feature designed in or not, but it does help,” Koemi gripped her own toes in the carpet and sighed again.

“I bet you have the same problem when you get home with your legs and feet aching since you dance all day,” Nanami repositioned herself slightly so she was facing Koemi. Koemi shifted slightly in answer and the two quickly found themselves face to face.

“Honestly, I think your job is probably harder than mine. I’m usually moving around whereas you have to stop and start and probably find yourself standing in one place more often. That seems harder to me. It’s like retail, that’s gotta be awful,” Koemi shook her head in sympathy and sipped her juice.

“You’re not wrong,” Nanami shook her head. “When I first moved to Tokyo and still had hopes of going to college, I got a job at a convenience store. The manager was a total asschimp and took the stool away since it ‘gave the wrong impression to customers.’”

“Fuck that guy,” Koemi shook her head.

“A friend of mine did just that and he got her pregnant then fired her!” Nanami growled angrily.

“What? I would have beat his ass,” Koemi clenched her fist. “A quick upper cut! One-two!” Koemi jabbed her fist awkwardly at the back of the couch. Unlike Sachi, Koemi never had any interest in martial arts, it all seemed too tiresome to bother with.

“Well, that sort of thing happens a lot,” Nanami shook her head. “Some of it might be mutual, but so many times it’s simply someone taking advantage of their position to drag some hapless girl into doing things she wouldn’t usually do.”

“It happens more often than I care to even imagine in entertainment,” Koemi nodded. “These managers and executives and producers prey on young girls who want desperately to get noticed. They just want to get a toe in the door and so they do whatever these sleazy fucks say and then get tossed aside or, worse yet, strung along for years with a bone thrown here and there to keep them dangling.”

“Did that happen to you?” Nanami asked.

“Me? No, I was lucky. My dad had a lot of high-power contacts and he got me a couple of auditions with some reputable agents and I slipped into things pretty easily. But I’ve heard and seen so many horror stories I would have to say the rate of that crap happening is probably 70%. Some girls keep at it and make some headway, some fall by the wayside, others get ground up and tossed out and, a few lucky ones hit it big.”

“I take it you hit it big, then?”

“For now,” Koemi sighed, looking around at the apartment. “But the shelf-life of someone like me is measured in months sometimes. I’m one bad album or mental lapse or broken bone from being ground up and tossed out. Even with my management team. No one has a use for a dancer and singer that makes them no money.” Koemi chuckled. “Even if I don’t screw up, I won’t last into my thirties. It’s all ephemeral in this industry. We’re just pretty shadows waiting for the sun to move a bit and swallow us whole.”

“What’ll you do if it all vanishes?”

“Well, it’s more when rather than if but, honestly, I have no idea,” Koemi shrugged. “I’m lucky since Sachi is a genius when it comes to money and stuff and has been taking care of my finances since I first broke in, so I have a ton of money and investments and property and stuff available. Maybe I’ll go into management or something in the industry. Something where I can help these girls, so they don’t get taken advantage of.”

“Oh, so you have no thought of taking advantage of me?” Nanami teased. “Inviting me out in a limo and to a fancy restaurant then taking me back to your spacious apartment on the two thousandth floor and plying me with grape juice: I’m wise to you entertainment types!”

“You wound me, madam!” Koemi gasped in mock horror. “My intentions are pure as the snows of Mt. Fuji itself!”

“You know the snows of Fuji are dirty as shit, right?” Nanami smirked at her. Koemi laughed and ran her hand through her hair. “By the way, is pink your natural hair color?”

“Obviously,” Koemi lifted her hair and let it fall on her shoulders dramatically. “My mom ate easter egg dye three times a day when she was pregnant with me and Voila! Pink hair.”

“Amazing!”

“Right? So what about you?” Koemi shifted a bit more so she was sitting cross-legged on the couch beside Nanami.

“No, my mom was allergic to easter egg dye.”

“Not that! Why don’t you go to college?”

“At my age? Shit, I’m going to be 30 this year. Even if I wasn’t, I still don’t have the money for that sort of thing. It’s expensive!”

“Well, if you had gone to college what did you want to do?” Koemi took a sip of her juice, forcing her eyes to stay on Nanami’s face and not drift downward as the older woman adjusted herself to sit cross-legged as well. Must. Not. Look. Down. Koemi repeated like a mantra.

“If you laugh, I will harm you,” Nanami warned her sternly.

“I’d never laugh!” Koemi held her hands up defensively.

“I wanted to be a vet,” Nanami mumbled.

“Why would I laugh at that?” Koemi cocked her head to the side.

“Doesn’t every little girl want to be a vet? It’s so cliched.”

“I wanted to be a unicorn,” Koemi shrugged. “I think a vet’s more realistic.” Nanami giggled.

“A unicorn?”

“You laughed at me!” Koemi fell backward, holding her glass with one hand, the other clutching at her heart in mock agony. “I have been mocked!” Nanami smacked her lightly on the knee.

“It’s not like that! I’m just not sure how that would be an option. Even if it were, what would you even do as a unicorn?”

“I have no idea…unicorn things? Even as a kid I had no skill in forward thinking. I figured I’d just turn into a unicorn and people would be all ‘Ooooh! Koemi’s a unicorn! How pretty!’. You know…then I’d do stuff and be praised all the time since I was a unicorn. I mean, honestly, if you’re a unicorn people have no choice but to praise you because you’re a mythical creature. It goes hand in hand.” Koemi pulled herself upright and took another drink of her juice.

“How’d you do that?” Nanami demanded, scowling.

“Eh? Do what?”

“Pull yourself up without using your hands or legs?” Koemi glanced down, confused.

“My stomach? I guess? I don’t know.”

“You must have insane stomach muscles. I’d pull every muscle in my body if I tried. Can I touch it?”

“Uh, sure,” Koemi replied. Nanami reached a hand out and pressed it against Koemi’s belly, moving it across the taut muscles beneath the dress. “Ahahahaha!” Koemi laughed.

“Are you ticklish?” Nanami grinned at her deviously.

“No!” Koemi protested weakly. Nanami’s hand moved to her side and Koemi jerked upright. “Ahahahaha!”

“I’ll have to keep that in mind,” Nanami giggled. “I want your muscles.”

“I don’t think they’d fit you,” Koemi shook her head, wiping a tear from her eyes.

“Teach me your exercise ways, sensei!” Nanami pleaded.

“Very well, my student. I shall guide you on the true path,” Koemi smiled. “I need to use the bathroom. I’ll be right back. Feel free to look around!”

“Ok! Cool!” Nanami smiled.