set the world on fire (Mawaru Penguindrum)

Chapter 6

Momoka paced fervently around her apartment, massaging her temples and mumbling under her breath.

Her wrists were sore from being dragged to the interrogation room, where the police stubbornly pelted her with question after question for what seemed like an eternity. Fortunately for her, as the secretary had been kind enough to inform her, the only evidence of the hours she had whiled away at the police station was a shorthand note shoved into a gargantuan file cabinet.

Although this was small potatoes in comparison to other incidents she had found herself in over the years, she didn't particularly want to imagine the laughing fit Sanetoshi would have if he caught wind of it.

She let out a derisive snort. As if she cared what that imbecile thought of her.

Momoka had just popped a piece of chewing gum into her mouth when her cellphone rang. Keiju Tabuki, the screen read.

Him again? she thought grouchily, but answered nonetheless, silencing the peppy ringtone. "Momoka Oginome speaking. And what did I tell you about calling my personal cell?"

"TV. Channel 7. Now."

"Well, you're being awfully cryptic. Mind telling me what's going on?"

"Just do it!"

A click, and the line was dead.

She stared at the blank screen, puzzled, but did as he said. The urgency in his tone worried her; there wasn't much that could faze Tabuki.

Fingers trembling, she pointed her remote at the flat-screen television, watching it stir to life. Flipping to Channel 7, as per Tabuki's instructions, she squinted as a woman wearing liberal amounts of eye shadow appeared on screen, plum-colored lips pursed in nothing but utter solemnity. "-so here we have it, viewers. Footage taken from an interview with Yuri Tokikago, earlier this evening."

The hairs at the nape of her back rose at the sound of her girlfriend's name.

Yuri, stumbling over her stilettos, was flat-out drunk; her cheeks were tinged with pink, blonde curls cascading messily over her shoulders.

"Oh shit," Momoka cursed. Yuri had assured her and proved time and time again that she was capable of taking care of herself, so...what on earth had happened?"

"So, Tokikago-san," a reporter said eagerly, shoving a mic into her face, "tell us: is there a special guy out there you want to give a shout-out to?"

She blinked at him owlishly. "Um, well-" A high-pitched giggle, followed by a hiccup, rose from her throat. "Not a guy, you know, since they suck, but...my girlfriend."

The shrieking press fell to a hush.

"Her name is Momoka Oginome, and we've known each other since were kids, and she's great, even though sometimes she's super overbearing and sometimes a workaholic and sucks at cooking." Seemingly oblivious to the quiet ruckus she was causing, she downed her shot, lifting the empty glass up to the camera, before blowing a lopsided kiss. "Momoka-chan, if you're watching this, I love you!"

The clip ended abruptly, the anchor turning back to the camera and nodded glumly. "Here it is, viewers. The great Tokikago-san, once the object of many a theater fan's worship, is revealed to be openly gay. Just how will her fans react to this sudden, inexplicable revelation? Stay tuned for-"

She turned it off, unable to take it for another moment. Slumping to the couch, she buried her face in her hands.

Yuri had been acting strangely lately, but this?

She immediately felt guilty. Being ashamed of her sexuality was the last thing she wanted for Yuri. Besides, Momoka had assured her just a little while ago that it was perfectly okay to come out when she was ready, but-