Oshi No Ko: PHOENIX [OC x Oshi No Ko]

Ch.5 - B-KOMACHI LIVE:

At least someone in one of those bully's families has a conscience. Turns out the guy lived in my neighborhood, and his mother saw the nametag on my bag.

She soon came knocking on my door to return the bag with an apology.

Renji Ichinose the guy's name was... I've kept it in mind ever since.

The rat bastard had returned my bag, but had taken the money from my wallet. And so close to the B-Komachi concert too...

It was embarrassing asking Kira for money, because I didn't want to rely on his fame to get by in life. I wanted my own path outside the expectation of inheriting his radio show someday.

Entertainment was something I wanted to experience, rather than partake in. And the upcoming B-Komachi concert was going to be my first taste of a true live spectacle.

While Ai had been performing for an entire year, B-Komachi was a relatively new group. They started out as a group of middle school models from Strawberry Productions.

Being the most experienced of the unit, Ai was the center.
At least she earned that and wasn't given nepotism, even if there were dirty rumors spread by tabloids that she was dating her producer.

I've met them both. And even I could see that Saitou viewed her as a daughter-figure. He was too obvious.

Then there were the rumors of tension in B-Komachi's ranks. Apparently a former member was stealing cosmetics and got fired.

Rightfully so.

Thieves don't prosper.

You don't get a free pass just because you're an idol.

If anything, it only made me want to support the members who were bullied that much more. And from the look in her eyes the day I met her, I was certain that Ai was also a victim of bullying.

So, it brought some kind of relatability for Sarina and Me that our idol was going through similar treatment.

'You never forget your first' they say, right?

Well, I was focused on making my first attendance at a B-Komachi concert the best it could be.

Kira gave me the money I needed to prepare for the event. The internet was limited back then before the new millennium, so I had to rely on idol fanzines for my research.

I prepared for the event, with a happi coat for myself and penlights and water for both of us to stay hydrated. I wanted to make sure Sarina had everything she needed, so I offered to buy her a happi coat but she refused, saying she was going to wear a red shirt to show her support for Ai instead. 

Red was Ai's color, after all.

The event itself was more than just a concert for me; the plushie, the tickets, they were only the first two surprises I had in store for Sarina. There was one final surprise, something I'd been holding in, something I had kept telling myself to wait for the right moment to act upon. It was more personal and meaningful, and I was nervous about revealing it, but I knew that this night was the right moment. It was now or never.