𝐒𝐔𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐎𝐀𝐓 | 𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙪 𝙜𝙤𝙟𝙤 𝙭 𝙛𝙚𝙢! 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐏𝐒𝐄

.⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆

SHIBUYA, TOKYO 2006

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆

"OH BY the way," issei's voice pulls you back into the room, his head nodding towards hiyori. her eyes widen slightly in recognition, and she delves into her jacket pocket. her movements are deliberate, careful not to rush the moment.

"one of the detectives said to give this to you," she says, her voice carrying a gentle weight. in her hand lies the omamori charm, its pink fabric a mirror to the soft hues of her hair. you reach out, the charm cool and soft against your skin.

"maybe it's because of that—your injuries aren't that severe," hiyori muses, her lips curving into a hopeful smile.

"yeah," you respond, your gaze fixed on the charm, feeling its texture between your fingers.

issei, ever watchful, moves to the window. his silhouette is a dark shape against the brightness. he peers through the slats, tongue clicking in disapproval. "there's still reporters outside."

"being a celebrity is annoying," you murmur, drawing your knees up to your chest, seeking comfort in the small space you've created for yourself on the bed. "aren't models just supposed to be seen and not cared about?"

"it's different because it's you," hiyori's voice is soft, but it holds an edge of something firm, something true.

"what's so different?" you turn your head to the side, the omamori now just laying on your bed, "i hate reporters."

"i know it's not my fault, but the other people visiting their families must be annoyed by me being here," you say, your voice tinged with a mix of frustration and guilt.

"everyone is annoying," issei interjects, his tone laced with exasperation. "it's our stupid fuckin' contracts that keeps getting us doing this shit."

memories of the scandal involving issei and his fellow members flash through your mind. a fan had crossed boundaries, stalking them into their hotel and attempting to blackmail them over something that now feels insignificant. the details blur together, overshadowed by the absurdity of it all.

you look at the both of them, "you two have been in the industry longer than me, right?" you throw out.

issei takes in a deep breath, the air filling his lungs as if he's about to dive into deep waters.

"i..." he starts, his eyes fluttering closed, lashes casting delicate shadows on his cheeks. there's a moment of silence, thick with anticipation, as he sifts through years of memories. "i debuted when i was twelve? wait no—i became a rookie when i was twelve and debuted when i was thirteen with arashi?" his voice trails off, a note of uncertainty in the air.

"that's so young," you say, the words slipping out like a sigh. you turn your gaze to hiyori, who's been quietly observing the exchange. "and you've been in it since forever."

before hiyori can respond, issei's attention snaps back to you. "oh [name]," he says, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

"hmm?" you prompt, an eyebrow raised in silent question.

"why aren't you attending kokusai?" he asks, referring to the school that seems to be a rite of passage for teen celebrities like yourselves.

"i didn't want to," you say simply, lying through your teeth—you couldn't just drop that you're a sorcerer to them.

"but you didn't have to take an entrance exam to go," issei points out, as if the path was laid out for you, obstacle-free.

you shake your head, a small, wistful smile playing on your lips. "my okaa-chan didn't want me to go," you explain, that part being true.