Aqours: After The Sunshine

Enjoying my youth

5PM, another long day has started to come to it's closure, the hustle and bustle around the Numazu City Centre has quietened down, in the middle of the small crowds of people, 2 young girls walk together, on their way back home from their places of work.

"Ugh, another busy day today, I'm glad it's over" Tsushima Yoshiko lets out a big sigh and stops to have a stretch.

"Oh it wasn't too bad for me, it was actually quite peaceful, zura" replied Kunikida Hanamaru, looking the slightly more energetic.

"That's easy for you to say! You're behind a desk in a library!"

Hanamaru replied with a smile "But you get to enjoy all of your merchandise.....and your fans"

Yoshiko had become a supervisor at Numazu Gamers, she saw it as a great fit, as during her Aqours days, she had become the face of that branch for a period of time and, although her standees and pictures are now long gone from the store, as Hanamaru mentioned, Yoshiko still get's a lot of recognition from the customers....and a 20% discount on toys from her favourite anime.

"Yeah, you're right...it's not bad" Yoshiko smiled, the feeling she gets from hearing the words "Is that her?" or "It's that girl from Aqours!" is unlike any other.

"Anyway, Maru chan, it's your turn for dinner tonight"

"Like it was the last 2 nights, zura?"

"Shut up! I could practically fall on my feet and I want to lie down for a bit"

Hanamaru smiled, she was a few seconds away from offering that she cook, but of course, she can never resist an opportunity to tease Yoshiko "Okay you win, I'll sort out some sort of stew, I've been meaning to use the beef we have anyway"

Both Hanamaru and Yoshiko hop on to the next bus, that takes them to their apartment.

As the bus makes it's move, Yoshiko whips out her phone "Oh by the way, during break, I got a message from Chika Chan."

"Chika? It's been too long! How is she, zura? What is she up to these days" Hanamaru's voice became really high.

"Calm down, Zuramaru, although, I must admit I got excited when I saw her message, she wants all 9 of us to meet up at some point"

"All 9 of us! Yay!"

The passengers on the bus all looked towards the excited Amber haired girl at the back of the bus.

"Is everyone coming, zura? Will Ruby Chan be there?"

"I don't know, I just got her message and I wanted to speak to you first before replying, although I'm guessing you'll be up for it?"

"Absolutely zura!"

Hanamaru's face then turned serious "Although......did I just hear you call me Zuramaru...... Yohane Chan?"

Yoshiko gasped and turned a bright shade of red "Shut up!"

"You promised never to call me that anymore Yohane Chan!"

"And you promised to not call me that anymore Zuramaru!"

"YOHANE"

"ZURAMARU!"

An air of silence filled the bus.....before both girls chuckled to themselves.

Long story short, you know when, you did something really embarrassing as a kid or a teen, everyone's done it, but then you hear about these embarrassing things when you're older and more mature and you then feel like you want to shout over the person telling the story? Well, that's how Yoshiko feels after having to deal with Yohane until she turned 17, a couple of years after Aqours disbanded, Yoshiko felt like she wanted to put that character to bed, of course, she goes with the story of "With Aqours gone, there is no need for this fallen angel anymore" The truth is....she was quite embarrassed that she done it. Not during the Aqours days of course, as it was seen as her character, to everyone on the outside. But for the 15 years before she became an idol, to the small period later, she kept that with her and got to the age where she believed she needed to let it go.