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"... Rui. We absolutely cannot afford this."
Rui gave Tsukasa the most pathetic look he could muster. Emu, who sat to Rui’s left on the benches in front of the Wonder Stage, gave Tsukasa puppy eyes. Nene, who sat on Emu’s left, laughed as she saw the pink and purple duo try to make Tsukasa feel guilty.
"But.. Tsukasa-kuuun….~ Think about all the new gimmicks we could try out! We could make our shows even more magnificent!"
"Oh, it's true, it's true! Don't you want our shows to be super-turbo-wonderhoy!?"
"This is a million and a half yen motor, for crying out loud! Isn't there some other way to go about it? Something cheaper, maybe?"
"But.. Tsukasa-kuuuun…~ This one is special.."
"Yeah!! It's super powerful!" Emu flexed to emphasize her point.
Tsukasa scowled at Rui.
"I cannot, in good faith, let you use almost all WonderlandsXShowtime's budget for the year on a motor! We'll have nothing left for costumes, props, scripts, anything!!"
Rui sighed, defeated. He gave Tsukasa one last abandoned-kitten look before nodding.
"Alright, now that we've reached an agreement on that, I think it's high time we discuss the expenses for this show's costumes."
Emu seemed to have a realization and grinned brightly. The star had a look of pure fear when she sprung up from her seat.
"I HAVE AN IDEA!!!"
"Not right now, Emu..!"
It was Nene’s turn to torment Tsukasa. "Wow.. How cruel. You won't even let your own troupemates speak. This is sounding an awful lot like that other time.. What did you say..? 'So you're a shy gi-'"
"OKAY! I got the point, I got it!! Emu, you can speak!" Tsukasa grimaced.
Emu was nearly jumping with excitement. "Ooh, well, I saw that sometimes troupes like us will do fundraisers when they can't pay for something!! So maybe we can do something like that so Rui can get his motor!!"
"Eh.. Well…" Tsukasa tapped his cheek in thought.
"Pleeeeease, Tsukasa!" The bouncy girl put on a guilt-inducing expression once more. Despite how much he fought it, the blonde's brotherly tendencies won, and he caved.
"Fine.." He sighed. "But I'll have no part in organizing this fundraising event of yours. I have to finalize the performance licensing for our next show."
The director had a grin that could only be described as devilish. He stared at his star for a moment, plotting.
"No problem, Tsukasa-kun~ It will be something very special... Fufufu!"
Tsukasa's brow furrowed. "What are you planning..? I better not hear that you're charging people to launch me into the sun to raise money!!"
—-----------------
Tsukasa was currently rummaging through his closet.
It turned out that Rui and Emu’s little fundraiser was a paid-entry masquerade ball. He initially questioned the event's viability to raise money, considering they had to rent out a ballroom to host it. The star had to remind himself multiple times that it was not for him to organize. As Rui had told him, all he needed to do was 'enjoy the event' when the time came.
While his mind wandered, he finally found what he had been hunting for in the closet – a white suit. It was shockingly plain for someone as extravagant as Tsukasa, but this event was a masquerade, after all. Besides, he could use the opportunity to test his improv acting skills.
Standing in front of his full-length mirror, the star struck a few poses to ensure that the suit still fit properly. He carefully tightened his yellow tie, and applied his favorite chapstick– grapefruit flavored. Just as he was fumbling with a star-shaped lapel pin, his alarm went off. He nearly yelped with surprise.
'Time to go already?! I thought I'd have more time to prepare.. Damn!!'
Tsukasa swiped his mask off of his desk before moving to leave. He stared at it for a moment, in thought. The star quickly got lost in his mind, fretting over the ball going smoothly while his eyes traced over the blue and red frills of his mask that mocked a jester's cap.
His alarm went off again – he jumped to shut it off and finally left.
—-----------------
When Tsukasa entered the event venue, he was shocked, to say the least. Just the ballroom's entrance was extremely lavish. It made him wonder once again if they would be able to turn a profit after the rental costs. As he approached, a familiar voice emanated from the partially masked attendant checking tickets.
"Tsukasa-kuuun!! I'm so glad you could make it!!! Have a super-duper fun time, ehehehe!"
"Why are you smiling at me like that?!"
"Hmm? Oh, Tsukasa-kun, you're holding up the line! Don't worry about me, go in! Ehehehehehe!"
Emu’s giggle sounded more evil each time Tsukasa heard it. However, he decided it would be for the best if he just listened to her instructions for the time being.
—-----------------
Despite the formal nature of the attendees' attire, as Tsukasa entered the ballroom, he was greeted by the telltale rhythmic thump of slightly-too-loud pop music playing from various speakers.
He suddenly stopped, and stood still. He squeezed his eyes shut, clenched his fists, and held his breath for a moment.
'Starlike, starlike, be starlike,'
With a sigh, he visualized the tension melting away from his body. He weaved through the crowd, searching for a familiar face to stick with for the time being. Of course, he failed miserably, as everyone was masked. Even masks like his own, which only covered the upper half of one's face, made potentially familiar individuals look like complete strangers to Tsukasa. He eventually gave up on trying to find any of his friends. An attempt was made to join circles of dancers to make acquaintances, but each time, he was somehow pushed out.
Tsukasa was becoming quickly overwhelmed. Parties like this usually came so naturally to him – so long as there was a familiar face to stick by. But in the sea of masks, Tsukasa was alone and lost. The rhythmic thump of the music was like an earthquake to him, rattling his mind like the flakes in a shaken snow globe. He weaved through the crowd once more, bumping into others in his haste, and apologizing profusely to them. He tried to stick by the snack table, where the music was a little less loud, and fewer groups gathered, but it was still too much. He began to search for some kind of bathroom or other solitary space to calm down in.
Tsukasa sighed in relief when he stepped out of the ballroom and the sound was significantly dampened. He wandered through the building, passing various other unoccupied rooms, before stopping in the middle of a hallway.
He felt a gaze on himself. The star turned, expecting someone behind him, but saw nothing. With a deep frown, he began to walk faster down the hall.
A floorboard creaked behind him. Tsukasa turned again, and saw nothing, again. Thoroughly unnerved, he ducked into a doorway that happened to be on his right, slamming the door behind himself.
The door led him to a balcony.
He slowly walked to the railing.
Closing his eyes, he felt the cool night air curl around him with the breeze, and felt it clear the tension in his lungs.
"Are you feeling alright, Tenma-san?"
"WHATWASTHAT?!" The aforementioned boy jolted in surprise, turning to the source of the voice with wide eyes.
Behind him stood an oddly familiar-looking individual. The individual's voice sounded similar to Rui's. However, in the dark, Tsukasa couldn’t identify a hair color, he could only really tell that they wore a black suit. They had also addressed Tsukasa so formally, as if they weren't close at all…
The top half mask certainly didn't help in trying to identify the individual that had followed him.
"I said, are you alright, Tenma-san? I saw you in the ballroom earlier.. You seemed quite tense."
"Oh.. Um, thank you for your concern, I'm alright. Just wanted to get out for some cool air."
Tsukasa narrowed his eyes, staring at the individual as if staring would reveal their identity to him. He noted that their mask had a design peculiarly similar to face paint Tsukasa had done on Rui for one of his costumes. A slash ran through one of the eye-holes, with a moon and star underneath.
They tilted their head.
"Should I leave…?"
Tsukasa fluttered his eyes, looking away.
"No, no, it's okay! Come, I've been trying to meet new people tonight! And please, call me Tsukasa!"
"Hmm… Alright, Tsukasa-san."
The stranger approached the railing to join Tsukasa, but kept their distance.
"So.. Um, tell me about yourself, stranger! You seem to already know me, but I don’t quite seem to recognize you!" Tsukasa smiled sheepishly. Not his cleanest introduction to someone new.
"Hmm… Well, that'd ruin the fun and mystery of the masquerade, wouldn't it, Tsukasa-san?"
Tsukasa huffed, adjusting his mask.
"Oh, come on! Give me something, if not your name…!"
"Well…"
There was a brief pause. The stranger then grinned smugly, looking nearly catlike.
"You might say I'm a fan of yours."
Tsukasa could feel himself uncontrollably smiling.
"A fan? Really?! Wait, no, I mean, of course you're a fan! Anyone who's seen a Tenma Tsukasa production would be nearly smitten with my acting prowess!"
"Fufu.. I certainly am smitten… Um, with your acting ability, of course."
Another pause.
"Tsukasa-san… Could you indulge a fan, and answer a burning question of mine?"
"Hmm? Ask away, dearest fan of mine!!"
Tsukasa could swear he saw a faint blush on the stranger's face, even in the dark.
"Have you ever fallen in love?"
Tsukasa's eyes shot open, and his jaw slightly dropped as he stared at the stranger.
"Well, um.. I… I don't think so…?"
"Is that so? Not even a little crush?"
The fan seemed disappointed. Tsukasa frowned. He couldn't disappoint his first fan! It would be unstarlike!
"Well.. There is one…"
The fan's eyes lit up.
"Really? Do tell!"
"Okay, okay, but don't tell anyone about this, okay? I don't know if I'd survive if he heard about this.."
"He? Oh, never mind that, I promise I won't tell anyone. My lips are sealed."
The stranger did a zipping motion over their lips. Tsukasa chuckled, before looking over the balcony railing with a wistful smile.
"My director… Rui. Even when I first laid eyes upon him, I knew something was different about how I saw him. I… I thought I just really wanted to be his friend for a while. But as time goes on, I fear that my feelings have become a little more.. Romantic. Hell, I dreamt about kissing him once.."
Tsukasa laughed, sadly. He became so absorbed in his stream of thought that he didn't notice the stranger beginning to close the distance between them.
"But he'd never return the feelings. We're just close friends, after all. I can't ruin such a precious relationship with my own greed… Yet, I still find myself longing for something that simply cannot be."
Tsukasa turned to the stranger. Tsukasa noticed their masked faces were only some inches apart as he looked up at them. His breath hitched, and he felt his face grow warm.
"Maybe you understand…?"
Tsukasa could see a glint of sadness in their eyes.
"I... I think I may. Would it make you feel better if I told you my story?"
Tsukasa, eager to know more about his supposed fan, nodded yes.
"I met someone... Bright. Brighter than the sun itself, perhaps. We became close due to a shared interest. I… I love him with all my being. But in all my creativity, I just can't seem to find the right way to confess to him. He's brought so much joy to my life, the confession has to be perfect for him. And I just can't figure out what to do. On top of that, I share your anxiety. I do not wish to ruin the closeness we have."
There was an extended silence as the two stared into each other's eyes, in the dark.
"Tsukasa-san."
Tsukasa snapped out of his trance.
"Oh, um, yes?"
"Could I… Kiss you? Maybe not out of true love, but maybe just to see what it'd be like to share a kiss with someone?"
Tsukasa paused, conflicted. He felt like it'd be betraying his own heart if he shared a kiss with someone other than Rui, yet... He longed to feel the passion of love, in some way, if he couldn't have it with that whom he really loved. If he didn't take this opportunity, who knows when he'd have another chance to have a taste of affection?
"Tsukasa-kun…? Did I make you uncomfortable? I'm sorry, I just thought that since we’re both unable to be with those whom we are in love with, we could-"
"Let's kiss."
"Really…?"
Tsukasa had already closed his eyes in anticipation.
"Yes, yes! Go on, you lead me!!"
While he kept his eyes shut, he heard shuffling, and felt the stranger gingerly remove the mask from his face. Two clatters rang out, presumably one clatter for each mask hitting the ground.
The star felt a hand cup his cheek. Another arm wrapped around his back, pulling the two close together.
Tsukasa's eyes shot open when the pair's lips met– he couldn't help but be shocked by the kiss, even if he had invited it. For a moment, he savored the clumsy but affectionate and gentle kiss. He could feel that they were both hesitant, unsure, but they were both well-intentioned.
However, at this distance, and without the masks, Tsukasa quickly realized who he had truly been talking to. He pushed the other away, raising a hand to cover his mouth.
"Wh-Rui?! What.. Why didn’t you…?!"
Rui didn’t look apologetic in the slightest, grinning as he looked at the flustered star before him.
“That’d ruin the fun of the masquerade, wouldn’t it?”
Tsukasa groaned.
“Ugh, sure, sure… You just can’t help but tease me, can you?!”
There was a pause. Pure silence. Not even the thump of the distant music could be heard by either boy. Tsukasa looked up at Rui with a concerned expression.
“But wait, Rui. Doesn’t that mean you..? You know…”
Rui’s grin only became wider, and more giddy.
“Doesn’t that mean I what? Finish the question, Tsukasa-kun…~”
Tsukasa’s face burned a vibrant scarlet as he stormed back over to Rui, standing on his tip-toes and getting in his director’s face.
“You know what I’m talking about, Rui!! Stop teasing me and answer my question!!!”
The answer Tsukasa demanded came in the form of Rui pulling him in for another kiss. This one felt less clumsy and unsure. It felt more passionate and Tsukasa couldn’t get over the sparks going off in his brain and the warmth of Rui against him and the feeling of Rui’s chapped lips against his own and how perfect this moment was and how in love he was with his director and-
Rui pulled away.
“So you do use grapefruit chapstick! Fufufufu.. Emu owes me, I knew it wouldn’t be cherry!”
Tsukasa blinked, mouth slightly agape. He was left a little dazed by the second kiss.
“W… What…?”
“Oh, also,” Rui smoothed the wrinkles that had formed in his suit. “Since we’re.. Um, mutual… Would you like to join me this evening? Like the troupe sleepovers, but just us…”
Tsukasa fluttered his eyes, letting a moment of silence pass before responding.
“Hmm… Fine. But promise me this, no more hiding these things from each other, okay? I know I’m at fault as well, but… It really hurts to think we may have never figured this out just because we were scared of ruining our friendship…”
Rui’s expression became serious, and he picked up both of their masks. Handing Tsukasa his jester-esque mask, he then grinned once more. Catlike, as usual.
“No more masking feelings, Tsukasa. I promise.”
The two put their masks on, moving back toward the door leading back to the building inside. Rui reached for the door handle, but before he could grab it, Tsukasa pulled Rui into a tight hug. For just a moment, Rui was tense, but he quickly caught on and squeezed Tsukasa in return, lifting the star off of his feet. Tsukasa squealed when he felt his feet lose contact with the floor. When the two pulled away from each other, Tsukasa couldn’t help but smile, so much so that his cheeks began to hurt a little. He couldn’t help it– he just found out that the director of his dreams returned his feelings.
The pair stepped back inside, hand-in-hand, returning to the ballroom floor just in time for the final song of the evening.