“You really didn’t have to pick me up, you know,” I pointed out as the long, sleek black car glided through the streets of Tokyo.

“Cast your mind back two years,” Nanami looked into the distance as if trying to focus on some event beyond the slow crawl of buildings outside the car’s tinted windows.

“Ok, ok, I get it,” I tried to interrupt, sagging into the luxurious seat across from her and Koemi.

“It was a crisp October evening,” Nanami continued, her long black hair elegantly pulled back into an elaborate bun, pink lipstick and peach blush highlighting her pale skin.

“Can you stop her?” I glanced pleadingly at Koemi.

“Kas, you know I would if I could. She’s in the zone,” she shook her head sadly, the pink locks swishing over her shoulders.

“I had spoken with my loving niece on the phone earlier that very morning,” Nanami was ignoring both of us and continuing with her story. “She had assured me she would attend the opening night of the Universalis tour at the Tokyo Dome. We would be cheering our friends and family from the very front row! We would be giving them our energy and enthusiasm after purchasing over-priced snacks and drinks and fighting through crowds of eager fans.”

“Ok! I get it!” I scowled at her.

“I had gotten all dressed up in acid-washed jeans, insanely uncomfortable but undoubtedly fashionable brown knee-length leather boots and a fantastic rainbow-hued Kunoichi shirt and was carrying my purse filled to the very top with seat cushions in case we got tired, moisturizing cream in case our faces got dry from the pyrotechnics, throat lozenges to prevent discomfort from screaming and VIP passes so I could snuggle my Koemi after the show. I was very fetching, wasn’t I, K?”

“You were hot af,” Koemi nodded. “I was slippery from being in the same building, babe.”

“Ok…what? Anyway Nanami, seriously, you can stop,” I continued.

“I had offered to pick my aforementioned and ever so loving niece up from her shabby apartment by the dead people to help conserve her energy for bopping to the fresh jams laid down by my lovely Koemi and her bandmates.”

“What’s that even mean?” I sighed, shaking my head. “No one says that anymore.”

“Do they not?” Nanami blinked at her before turning to Koemi who shrugged at her helplessly.

“I get it. I was late. It was one time, though.”

“It’s every time, Kasumi,” Nanami returned gently. “Every time there’s a gathering you are either late or simply don’t show up. Now, don’t get me wrong, I understand! You are an anti-social beast.”

“I’m not anti-social!” I pouted. “I just don’t like things like this. It’s just an excuse for people to wear uncomfortable clothes and talk shit behind each other’s backs.”

“I know,” Nanami put her hand on my knee. “But this is important this time. That’s why we picked you up.”

“Kidnapped more like,” I muttered bitterly.

“Not true! If we’d kidnapped you, we would have dropped you into a burlap sack, not a 600,000-yen Sacai dress. Which looks fantastic on you, by the way!”

“Thanks!” I beamed at her, before resuming my scowl. It really was a beautiful dress. Not one I’d ever buy for myself, even if I did have the money, but the crisp black lines and subtle zippers accenting it really did look good on me.

“Besides, you know how much Ojiisan has been looking forward to seeing you again. Especially after you blew off the last family dinner,” Nanami laid the guilt on thick.

“I didn’t blow anything off! I had to work! It’s no different than when Sachi and Koe-chan and Akari are on tour. I still have to work, you know! Not all of us own our own vet clinic with people they can foist work off on,” I retorted.

“I’m not saying you have to drop work; I’m just saying Ojiisan misses you.”

“You just inferred that very thing!” I looked toward Koemi for help.

“Oh! Look! We’re almost here!” Koemi adeptly changed the subject, pointing out the window.

“What’s this whole shindig even for, anyway? “I suddenly realized I had no idea what I was even here for.

“Can’t tell! Sachi would hurt me,” Koemi held her hands up as if to ward off an invisible blow.

“Is there an open bar?”

“Kasumi!” Nanami pinched the skin on my knee.

“Ow! What? Can’t I ask?” I jumped slightly, frowning, and rubbing the sore spot. “I think you tore my panty hose!”

“No, I didn’t. Now, behave yourself! And no picking up anyone tonight,” Nanami warned me, straightening her dress.

“That happened one time and, technically, she picked up on me,” I retorted defensively. Nanami fixed me with a blank gaze, and I sighed again. “I won’t cop to the others. What? Ugh…fine.”

“Fine?” The car pulled up to the curb, the sea of photographers and reporters huddled as close to the car as they could get behind the barrier. A sea of eager faces stared intently at the car, hoping, no doubt, for some scandalous photo they could get millions of clicks from.

“Fine.” I repeated with a sigh.

“I love you, brat,” Nanami grinned.

“Yeah, yeah,” I waved my hand playfully, brushing off her comment. “I love you, too, you despot.”

Koemi was helped out first and the flashes and screams from the fans held back behind the cordon increased to a frenzy. I could almost see the reporters attempting to get an upskirt shot of Koemi and I couldn’t blame them. During her younger days there had been one or two times her record company had needed to buy back salacious photos, but she had gradually learned and now took the necessary steps to avoid that sort of over-exposure.

“No flipping anyone off this time, either” Nanami tossed one last warning to me as she was helped out.

“Lotta damn rules floating around this car,” I muttered to myself, waving off the driver’s hand and waiting until the cameras had turned toward Koemi and Nanami as they walked toward the entrance before getting out myself.

I vanished quickly enough from the red carpet and merged into the fans for a bit, failing utterly to draw any attention whatsoever beyond a few curious glances at my dress. Once I was closer, I slipped back to the rope, showed the security guard my pass and slid into the hotel.

It’s true I had actively avoided these sorts of things. They made me uncomfortable. Some people like Koemi reveled in adulation and pomp. Others like Nanami were content going along for the ride and then there were people like me who found the entire circus a pain in the ass.

When I’d first moved in with Nanami it was easier to avoid them. I was only 16 and Sachi and the rest of the band had insisted on keeping me in the shadows, which suited me just fine. I wasn’t in the best state of mind, and they wanted to protect me from as much unnecessary scrutiny as possible. As I grew older, I decided that the less scrutiny, the better for all concerned. The band didn’t need to answer unnecessary questions and I thoroughly enjoyed my anonymity.

Of course, if I were honest, I was hiding. I wanted to justify hiding by thinking I had been betrayed over and over and the further away I was the better off I was, but that wasn’t entirely true. In truth I had dove into the deep end of self-pity and found it uncomfortable but strangely it fit my own perceptions of myself. I still had Emi, but she’d been punished just for being my friend, and I had no way of contacting her after having my phone destroyed by my father. I still had Saki, but she’d been whisked away to Korea and, again, I had no way to contact her, so I decided to vanish and although the persistent cameras proved difficult to avoid at first, Kunoichi made sure I could.

I was stopped briefly by a security guard who promptly apologized upon seeing my pass and directed me toward the proper room. I made my careful way through the throng of beautiful people at the door and into the ballroom itself.

I wonder why it was in situations like this people naturally congregated in small, mostly evenly spaced knots. Perhaps it was a herd mentality to hobnob with those you felt were within your social circles and thus avoid people you either didn’t feel comfortable with or considered either below or above you on the social ladder.

The members of Kunoichi and their management teams breezed amongst the disparate groups, shaking hands, hugging, and generally making themselves seen and available. Doing so made sense, I supposed. It was, after all, their party and there were most probably expectations. I smirked to myself, grateful once again I had no such responsibilities. I met no one’s eyes as I moved through the small knots of people and eventually found myself at the bar. If I had to be here, I would avail myself of free food and booze.

“What can I get you, miss?” the man behind the counter asked. I briefly considered going straight for the jugular and getting whiskey, but I wanted to at least stand a better than even chance of walking out on my own after the party and decided to start slow.

“I’ll have a slipper,” I replied. The bartender nodded and set to work. My eyes slid over the entirety of the buffet table, and I sighed. So much food, I thought. So little time. I figured I might as well go full on glutton mode. I had no food at home, nor the requisite desire to go to the store so maybe I could act like a squirrel and eat enough to get through a few more days before I had to haul myself to the convenience store. I turned back when I heard the light clink of the glass being deposited on the bar and scowled.

The sliver of melon, so thin it only had one side, stuck up from the lip of the glass in a jaunty and ultimately unsatisfying fashion. Damn cheap ass bartenders, I thought venomously to myself. It's not like they’re paying for the ingredients themselves. Could have at least given me some real melon. I forced a smile and deposited a thousand yen note into his jar before wandering off toward the food, drink in hand.

What is the point of this whole party? I wondered as I grabbed a plate and began perusing the line of tempting foods. It certainly wasn’t in line with Sacchan’s usual way of doing these things and it certainly sounded like it was her idea based on what Koemi had said. A new album? That seemed unlikely as, to my knowledge, they hadn’t gone back into the studio given they were planning another world tour.

Possibly adding another member? That, similarly, seemed unlikely given as they were adamant they wouldn’t follow trends and add any more people. A new movie? Honestly, I had no idea. I was a fan of them when I was younger and to think I was actually at a party thrown by Kunoichi would have caused me to scream until I hyperventilated and passed out. Honestly, it still excited me. I knew most of them quite well, though I was obviously closest with Akari, Sachi and Koemi.

Mari and Yuki had moved north to Hokkaido and lived on a farm raising sheep or some such thing, so I didn’t see them quite as often and Rei had moved to Kobe and only came back for rehearsals and recording. But even though I rarely saw the other 3 I found I got along well with them. Provided, of course, I didn’t think too deeply about the fact I was hobnobbing with famous people.

When I was younger and my mom had been hell-bent on making me famous enough to pawn off on some well-to-do guy by making me do beauty pageants and stuff, the thought of meeting famous people had thrilled me. Living with Koemi and getting to know Akari and Sachi and all of the famous people they interacted with had been rather sobering. Famous people were the same as the rest of us, I thought, they could just afford to smell better.

“-cess,” a voice called from behind me, breaking me out of my thoughts.  “Hey! Princess!” Plainly not talking to me, I decided and immediately ignored the voice and continued peering at the label in front of a serving dish filled with some angry red substance. It was plainly edible, but I had no idea what it was. Did I dare try some? Suddenly a hand touched my shoulder and I turned slightly.

“Yes?” I mumbled, trying to swallow the shrimp in my mouth without looking like I was.

“It is you!” the woman smirked at me, her black hair fell to her shoulders and purple and pink highlights ran through it like a stream. Her dark eyeshadow made her dark eyes appear almost black as well and her bright red lipstick looked almost out of place against her pale skin. She was slightly taller than I was, and her black dress hugged her slender body like a second skin.

I had a moment’s panic as I searched my memory for her face. Oh, please, I begged any deity in the area. Please don’t let me have slept with her. She wasn’t normally my type, but I had to admit there were more than a few nights I didn’t recall very well. I smiled hesitantly.

“Uh. Hey…you!” I smiled as broadly as I could muster. “How are you?”

“You have no idea who I am, do you?” The girl folded her arms across her chest and eyed me with displeasure.

“Of course…” I began to assure her before giving up and shrugging. “No, sorry. I have no idea.”

“Typical of Normie Princesses,” The woman scoffed. “Forgetting their benefactors.” I narrowed my eyes and peered hard at her face. My mind replaced her tight black dress with a belly shirt saying she was a “Cat Girl in Training” and my jaw dropped.

“Komari…san?” I gaped at her.

“Took you long enough,” Komari scowled at me. She held her arms wide and cocked her head impatiently. I stood where I was, dumbfounded, before she sighed and pulled me into a hug. “It’s good to see you, your highness.”