Concert (9)
“Ah! That was so much fun!”
Iris, her hands loaded with shopping bags, threw her arms up in a victory pose before flopping dramatically onto the circular bench under a large tree. From her standout flashy outfit to the glowing faces of her companions, anyone glancing over might mistake them not for fans fresh from a singer's concert, but for wealthy elites on a luxury shopping spree.
Rena, part of the group, lightly kicked Iris's side with her foot.
“Hey, don't sprawl out like that. Scoot over so we can sit too. Did you rent the whole place or what?”
“Hehe. Should I just rent it out for real?”
“Ahaha. Even your jokes scream rich girl, huh?”
The bench itself was spacious, but the shade from the sun was narrower than expected. The three of them had to squeeze in tight just to escape the rays.
“Eguu. Rena-chan, your love's gone cold lately...”
“No such thing as cold love.”
As Iris whined and bolted upright, Sakuya—standing behind Rena—folded her parasol and sat on the bench, leaving a small gap from Iris. She patted the seat firmly.
“Rena, sit already. You said your legs hurt from standing earlier.”
“...”
Rena furrowed her brow. It was the spot sandwiched between Iris on the left and Sakuya on the right—the most awkward position imaginable. She hated the idea of wedging in there, but pride wouldn't let her back down easily.
Fine. Just this once.
The summer heat was sweltering, and this was the only shade around. Plus, her legs really did ache. Convincing herself it was unavoidable, Rena delicately slipped into the space between them.
“Man, today's weather is brutal. How you holding up, Iris?”
“Totally agree. I'm sweating so much I can't even hit the bathroom.”
“Ah, ahaha. I see...”
Every time the two laughed or shifted while chatting, Rena felt the brush of air against her cheek.
“Guh!”
Just then, Iris—who'd been fanning herself vigorously—made a bold suggestion.
“How about we grab some roll ice cream?”
“Out of nowhere?”
“They're selling it over there.”
Following Iris's pointing finger, they spotted a massive line snaking through the crowd. The queue for roll ice cream.
“Whoa, that's a long line. You wanna wait in that for ice cream?”
Sakuya, who usually brimmed with positivity, showed rare disgust at the endless queue. Rena nodded vigorously in agreement.
“I'm against it too. It's already killing me in this shade—imagine standing in the blazing sun. No way I could.”
Waiting in the heat for something as trivial as ice cream just wasn't her style.
Facing opposition, Iris grumbled.
“But it's because it's hot that I want ice cream even more, right?”
“Don't wanna suffer that much for it.”
“What a shame...”
“Haha. Want me to swing by a convenience store and grab something?”
“Convenience store ice cream's no good though...”
“R-Really...?”
“When it's hot, you gotta go at least Häagen-Dazs, don't you think?”
“Is that so? News to me.”
“Dodged again. Total dodge.”
Rena clicked her tongue at Iris's lack of commoner sensibilities. Iris shot back indignantly.
“You like it too, Rena-chan. Vanilla Häagen-Dazs.”
“Even if I like it, I don't stockpile it in the freezer like you, you Häagen-Dazs-obsessed pig.”
Back when they were kids, she'd agreed to ice cream and opened the fridge, only to freak out at the freezer stuffed full of Häagen-Dazs. That was when Rena first grasped the terror of being buried alive under ice cream.
“Hmph. It's not just Häagen-Dazs. I hit up 31 pretty often too. I send Kiriko out for it whenever she wants some.”
“31's still pricier than regular ice cream...”
More than that, Kiriko was thriving under Iris, surprisingly frugal despite her looks.
“Ehh, come on, let's just get the roll ice cream. I'll pay!”
“No thanks. It's not about money.”
As Rena nagged that she could go buy it herself if she wanted, Sakuya eyed the shopping bags slung over her shoulder. The logos were from famous brands anyone into fashion would recognize.
Tae-il's pretty impressive, huh.
Her surprise stemmed from the fact that, excluding train and bus fares, her spending today had been zero. She'd always blown cash on musicals and cultural events, so she'd worried about the budget—but this was shockingly low. Without Tae-il there to insist on splitting bills and paying first every meal, Iris had naturally covered everything.
Bet he hasn't let Iris pay him back for a single thing...
It almost seemed like he was wary of her footing all the bills.
He's something else.
Unlike the stereotypical rich girl from stories, Iris was approachable, easy to talk to, and far from arrogant. Her beauty came with low barriers to entry. She had that leader vibe. Even Sakuya found herself relying on her subconsciously.
But her spending habits were straight out of a manga rich girl trope. If she wanted it, she bought it. If she felt like it, she did it. The sight of that matte black credit card at checkout had given Sakuya chills multiple times. Rena, used to it, just sighed whenever Iris pulled it out.
It started as simple stress relief...
If only Tae-il's message had come sooner. No luck on merch anyway. The impulsive shopping spree to vent had backfired. Iris had dragged Rena and Sakuya into a fashion parade, swiping her card wildly with “This suits you!”
“Ah! Ayane would've loved this! What a bummer!”
Rena had given up, and Sakuya felt dizzy each swipe—but Ayane really might've regretted missing it.
“Ooh, it looks great on you! Ring this up too, please!”
“Um, Iris...? Even that one's...”
“Give up. Acceptance brings peace.”
“Rena!?”
Sakuya had politely refused the gifts at first out of guilt, but before she knew it, Iris had showered her with outfits—her earnest face pleading, This is my first time hanging out like this with friends besides Rena! How could she say no? The bags on her shoulder felt heavier than the luggage she'd carried earlier.
I don't even wear stuff like this...
Mostly skirts and flashy, expensive dresses. The sheer see-through one especially puzzled her—she hadn't even tried it on from embarrassment. Bluntly put, skirts weren't Sakuya's thing. Her date outfit with Tae-il was a rare exception. With her height, she preferred affordable, size-inclusive brands like Uniqlo or Muji. Iris's gifts were pure burden.
She might've been thrilled if they'd been sports gear, price be damned.
Sigh. Just this once...
Hanging with peers, shopping, dating—it was normal youth stuff, but novel for Iris. Sakuya could see the subtle desperation in the girl enjoying her brief rebellion. She'd play along.
Still.
“How about rock-paper-scissors to decide who lines up?”
““No way!””
Standing in the scorching sun was a whole different story.
Afternoon. The sun, baking the girls' scalps, had dipped slightly westward, and quite some time had passed.
“So hot...”
*Slurp.*
In the end, they'd settled on drinks instead of ice cream. Iris pursed her lips over her now-empty green tea latte.
True to midsummer form. Japan's summer sky showed no sign of the sun setting, still glaringly bright—and brutally hot.
Exhausted by the heat, Iris subtly leaned against Rena, who was sneaking a hand fan breeze.
“Rena-chan, it's so hot... Can you scoot deeper into the shade for me?”
“Enough already. You'll crush me.”
After lunch and shopping, plus a short break, Iris's group had stashed their bags in coin lockers at the subway and resumed shopping. Morning was girly clothes and accessories; afternoon was band gear. Like Tae-il with Ayane, Iris explained effects pedals and more to the group.
Rena bought a few extra drumsticks. Iris offered to buy Sakuya a guitar, but she refused vehemently—no clue yet what kind she'd want. Surface reason, anyway. Deep down:
If I let her buy me a guitar too, I'm done for...
Better save it, use it as a date excuse with Tae-il later. Smarter that way.
Despite the mishaps, they'd agreed: bags piling up, so after the concert, call Kiriko for pickup. Tae-il and Ayane would agree once wiped out.
Iris chewed on the straw—damp with condensation, only air coming through now—gazing upward. Hiding in the shade to avoid sunburn, yet the humid heat soaked her clothes, leaving her unpleasantly limp. Irritation spiked.
“Phew. Good thing I didn't wear a hoodie today or I'd be cooked. Right?”
“What're you saying? You'd have ditched it ages ago.”
“Well, yeah, if it's hot I'd strip... but...”
Unless it was something loose like her current see-through cardigan. Baring skin too openly was tricky even for Iris.
She lifted an arm, slipping the cardigan off one shoulder.
“If the family fossils saw me like this, they'd keel over.”
“Didn't they give up on you already?”
“No way...”
Iris grumbled about last night's elder meeting—preachy stuff on lady-like mindset before dinner. Sakuya, who'd been half-listening, showed interest in her family dynamics.
“Haha. Iris from some noble line? Strict household?”
“Eh, old folks are all like that. You?”
“Nothing like your history or scale, but vibe's similar. Kinda picky.”
Sakuya didn't elaborate. Clear signal she didn't want to. Iris didn't pry—curious, but Sakuya's face looked pained. To lift the mood, Sakuya forced a smile.
“Anyway, I'm independent now, doing fine. Hey Rena, it's hot—lend me that hand fan?”
“Here.”
Rena promptly aimed it at Sakuya's face, like she'd been waiting.
“Fwaaa.”
The cool breeze melted Sakuya's face into a grin.
“Rena, your face is nice, but... um...”
“But?”
“C-Could you fan my... chest too...?”
“...”
Sakuya averted her eyes, unable to finish, and flapped her hem to expose her chest. Twin massive hills emerged. Infuriatingly, not one, but two. Something Rena could never have.
“Urgh!”
Rena ground her teeth, yanking off the cord around her neck and shoving the fan at Sakuya.
“Figure it out yourself.”
“Sorry...! And thanks!”
Understanding Rena's complex, Sakuya apologized with a sheepish tongue-out.
“Whatever. When're Gloomy and Shin showing up?”
“They're here.”
Iris, glued to her smartphone, answered instantly.
“Two stops away.”
“Really?”
Rena turned to gaze at distant Yokohama Arena. Blue guide fences stretched to the hazy entrance, already swarming with people.
“How many for tonight's concert?”
“Around ten thousand?”
Yokohama Arena usually held 12,000 for concerts. Sports events upped it to 15,000 full. But BARD's setup included a larger special stage with extensions, cutting capacity.
“Special stage?”
Rena questioned as Iris recited the official site verbatim.
“This show's got a special stage?”
“Yeah, apparently.”
“Why? Something off about it, Rena?”
“Nah, I YouTubed BARD lives and reviews out of curiosity...”
BARD's stages felt plain.
“Not dissing them. Just the common take. So it's weird.”
“Hehe. BARD stages are kinda meh, yeah?”
Even Iris, top-tier lute fan, had to chuckle in agreement. BARD stages were notoriously simple.
Not bad, per se—just the initial impression. For Japan's hottest band, it felt sparse, unimpressive. Starkly minimal. Simple fit better, maybe.
“What're typical band shows like, Rena-chan?”
“Typical...?”
Rena, who'd prepped by watching various band vids, pondered deeply.
Honestly, she couldn't pinpoint differences in pure comparison. But versus BARD:
“More... full?”
Vocals stole the spotlight, but others stayed visible. Camera work helped—solo spots, killer parts in close-ups. BARD? Wide shots showed the whole stage, but only Izumi shone. Like the camera was smitten.
“Vocals are the face, sure, but BARD's way more vocal-centric. Other members look fine too.”
“Spot on. BARD's all Izumi dominating the stage solo.”
Tenma Izumi. Plain yet fragile, fierce yet soft—until she sang. Air shifted. Half-lidded crimson eyes scanning sharp stole breaths. Gazes locked on her alone. She smirked boldly, inhaling.
Suuup.
The mic amplified her breath through the venue. Recalling a live, Iris shivered in ecstasy.
“Ehehe! Game over the second you hear that. No escape. Instant lute.”
Pros' songs hit from the first note. Izumi did. One breath hinted at the dizzying vocals to come. Fans anticipated; she delivered.
“That's BARD concerts. Build expectation, shatter it with show-and-prove.”
No need for gimmicks—they'd just distract.
Sakuya, listening quietly, tilted her head in wonder.
“Huh? So this time they went all-out on stage?”
“Yeah. Half excited, half worried.”
Usually, stage effort hyped any show—but BARD's new album split fans with experimental tracks. Site comments fretted the setlist; buzz was chaotic.
Of course, elite lute Iris had no doubts.
“They'll prove it. Especially that Tenma Izumi.”
“Such faith.”
“Well...”
Iris scratched her cheek bashfully. Like Tae-il trusted them, she trusted her idol as a fan.
“Anyway!”
Tonight's stage would dazzle. Iris gazed horizon-ward with anticipation—spotting a familiar face.
“Huh? Shin Tae-il's here. That's him, right?”
“Shin?”
“You sure? No message yet.”
Mentioning Tae-il lit up the group's voices instantly, like clockwork.
“Not mistaken! Look!”
Iris pointed at the duo sprinting their way: Tae-il and Ayane, hands clasped tight.
“Whoa, for real?”
Sakuya, sharpest eyes, confirmed first, then checked her phone. Missed it somehow. Messages from Tae-il.
“Puhaha!”
Seeing Tae-il actually huffing made Sakuya burst out laughing. He'd just started training, and the distance from station to here showed he had work to do.
“That gloomy bitch...!”
“Eh? Really?”
“Look! Casually pretending to struggle to slow Shin down, that sneaky...!”
Rena fumed at Ayane clinging to Tae-il. Iris soothed her.
“You're seeing it too negatively, Rena-chan.”
“N-No I'm not!?”
Valid point; Rena flushed. Anyone could see Tae-il, tired first, fully leaning on Ayane as she dragged him.
“Sorry we're late!”
Tae-il's apologetic face made Iris giggle.
“Then, penalty for being late?”
“Penalty...?”
“Tardiness means punishment. Obvious, right?”
His puzzled look—Was there such a rule?—drew Iris's smuggest grin.
“Well, yeah, but...”
Past life, he'd set fines for late rehearsals. Never dreamed it'd become immunity.
Familiar with penalties, Tae-il contrasted Ayane's confusion.
“Wait, does Ayane get one too?”
“Duh! Both of you!”
“Knew it—should've ditched Shin-kun and come first!”
“Ayane...?”
“Ayane'll take Shin-kun's penalty too!”
“Suddenly Black Rose mode...?”
Ayane dodged Iris's deadpan stare, embarrassed. Rena smacked their backs.
“Enough! Line up already! We can decide penalties later!”
“Guys! Over here! I saved our spot!”
Quick Sakuya waved from the queue.
Iris smirked, nodding ahead.
“Let's go.”
Tae-il wiped sweat, smiling back.
“Yeah.”