For Their Dreams

『Yuki is a slob with no tactics or good taste, is poor at socializing, thinks he’s funny, and drives me absolutely crazy. It’s a wonder how he’s become a super star for five entire years and managed to grab a partner as sweet and wonderful as Momo-kun! Have I mentioned he sleeps entirely too much? And get yourself some sun!』After a deep breath, Banri straightened his tie and composed himself.

『I’m still not seeing what exactly is so scary about Kawakami-san. I understand that he’s mysterious and the idols don’t know much about him, but is that really a reason to be so afraid? I think the moment I was able to see his eyes behind those sunglasses, I knew things would turn out fine. He seems like a reasonable man, has his ways of operating the way that he does. We all have reasons for things, don’t we? It’s not my forte to question it. So long as he keeps everyone safe, it’s alright.

Yuki’s eyes slowly closed as Banri chastised him. Once the other ceased his incessant bitching, he waved a hand of dismissal, a wicked smile curving his lips.

“This is a fake scenario, Ban, get a hold of yourself. Do you see how they’re not doing anything else? Notice how they haven’t given a reaction to our useless chitchatter among ourselves, or the delay? Come on, man. What harm would it do to just get off stage? Do you really want to perform for them, when their love and screams of happiness are obviously not real?”

If anything, he was starting to think this was some kind of freaky fever dream or they were kidnapped and tossed into some mind control simulator by the scientists.

Yuki leaned in, an eyebrow raised, his voice hushed as if committing the darkest of taboo. “Why play by their rules, Ban? You know this is some stupid thing those bastards who kidnapped us are doing. Let’s make this game our game. Come on. Don’t be a sissy.”

After a moment’s pause came a slow sigh as Banri’s eyes, too, closed shut. Yuki was right, in a way, even if he was playing a dangerous game by going against their captors’ wishes. Once more he had a valid point. What were kidnap-ees to do if their lives weren’t at steak? Revolt. Riot. Rebel.

Yuki just so happened to be stellar at those things, much to Banri’s chagrin.

『Hm... Fine. We’ll do things your way. I trust you!』

Another pause, and more shyly, 『Y-you walk off stage first! You... You wanted to do it, after all.』

Oh, was he insulting his age again? That earned a bit of a sassy lecture. Yuki put his own hand on his hip, an index finger flying into the air, his lips opened to speak, but Banri begun to talk once more over what was soon to be an ass-ripping.

“…Uh… Now that you mention it…” Yuki deflated from his suddenly puffed up and ready-to-go demeanor, looking over the crowd. Yeah. There it was. Nothing had changed. They weren’t getting angry or impatient, there was nothing real about this, as he expected.

Fuck them, then. If they were going to screw with them, they may as well give them a real experience. Yuki would show them.

“Hey, Ban? Let’s ditch ‘em~.”

『DITCH THEM?!』

Banri yelled so loud, that his voice rang clear as ever over the cheering and screams. Actually, that was enough to make both of the idols look back over, eyebrows raising quizzically. That... That was weird. That was definitely weird. None of them reacted. The cheers hadn’t died down, nothing got quiet, no one said or did anything.

As if Yuki’s face couldn’t get anymore deadpan, Banri’s words only wiped what was left of any expression off the map. This. Guy.

“I’m as sure as I’ve ever been, Ban.” It was spoken with an air of impatience, the cheering grating on his nerves as he tried to speak above them, though without going near the microphone. If Yuki were honest, he was more freaked out than ever before. From what he could remember, the last time they ever performed together, things didn’t go well. Banri ended up hurt and then suddenly missing for five years, and himself? He was left to rot in misery until Momo came and saved him.

Would things end up the same?

His former partner’s words shattered the serious train of thoughts, though…

“You can’t remember. Feh. Honestly, you’re useless right now! The name of the song. Our first debut as actual idols and throwing away the band gig. It….” There was a pause as a finger curled around his chin in thought.

“Hmmmmmmmmm. Hm. Mhmmm? Hm.”

It was now Banri’s turn to look disenchanted, with Yuki’s antics. A hand went to his hip, the guitar strapped around his shoulder slightly swaying as he turned to stare him down. Honestly. Honestly!

『Tch. You can’t even remember, either! Jeez, Yuki, you’re the useless one as always. Must be your old man brain getting stuck in that young body of yours.』

Truth be told, he wasn’t doing any better. In fact, this was probably the worst issue they’d ever encountered, and this was supposed to be back in the day! He was ready to make a suggestion until something felt off, very eerie. His eyes slowly moved their focus onto the screaming fans chanting their group name.

What happened? He was in some sort of dangerous situation with Momo and Sougo, that he suddenly couldn’t recall the details of. It all fizzled out like a puff of smoke, and now he was standing backstage with his arms folded tightly around his chest. Yuki snapped awake…was he sleeping standing up again? Or, perhaps, something weird was going down? When he heard cheers from a crowd of people, he poked his head out and his eyes widened at what he saw.

There was no way in hell this was real. It couldn’t have been.

“We’re suddenly ten years younger, you’re holding a guitar of all things, and everyone is screaming, ‘we love you Re:vale!’ as if we’ve gotten back together? No. No, absolutely not, I’m having a grand time.” It must have been his form he’d taken…he didn’t necessarily mean to spit out that much sass.

“I’d ask you to explain yourself, but you obviously can’t. So what do we do? Do we play, or get booed off the stage? Our fans get psychotic, you know.”

The very moment Yuki opened his mouth, Banri immediately began to regret acknowledging his presence. This guy..! He was just as sassy as ever in his prime, and Banri had nearly forgotten just how much he ground his gears in the past. He had his head straight on his shoulders, at the very least, and the manager could appreciate that much. Perhaps. It depended on how he continued to hold himself in this situation.

『You... make a good point. It’s just strange to suddenly do things as if falling into place and not looking for answers, though, isn’t it? Are you sure you’re okay with this?』

Their fans were a little on the crazy side back in the day, though. That was probably the smartest idea he had ever heard come out of Yuki’s mouth.

A footstep from behind caught his attention and wide, confused baby blue eyes looked over his shoulder to see his former partner, looking just as bewildered as himself. They were both in their younger forms, however, seemingly aware that things were abnormal, to say the least.

『Yuki? Please tell me you’re just as freaked out as I am.』

“Is there anyone you don’t like, Ban?” Laugh it up, Ogami. Laugh it up.