Tsubasa is invited to Tomohisa's family house to hear more about Kazuna, Tomohisa and Ryuuji's bambi time (before their debut). Before going into the topic, they had dinner in a large dining room (not Kitakado family's largest dining hall) and had Beef Wellington.
Tomohisa:
.... back then, Kazuna stays here nearly every weekend.
Suddenly Kitakado-san cuts in. His eyes are close with the expression of someone looking nostalgia.
Tomohisa:
I presume you know that back when we were Bambi, all of us used to live in a dormitory.
Tsubasa:
Yes. For those who lives far away from Tokyo are to stay in a dormitory, while for those who has family in Kanto area gets to visit home on holidays or for the weekend.
Tomohisa:
Correct. Ryuuji and I live in our family house for a while because our parents were worried for us. Even after I started living in the dormitory, my parents made me come home whenever I have no works or lessons.
Ryuuji:
If a day I forgot to call them, they will nag me once they get a hold of me.
Tsubasa:
So that's why Masunaga-san and Tomohisa-san together comes to play at Kitakado-san's family house.
Tomohisa:
Yes, he willingly came along. I remember the first time I invited him over, he appeared bewildered.
Ryuuji:
I heard that when Kazu came to Tokyo, he had never gone to play at any friend's house.
Tomohisa:
Yes. At that time, he goes straight back to the dormitory after school and after lessons with Atsushi-san and the staff. As Kazu was a young child, I wonder if they felt they had a big responsibility for bringing Kazu all the way to Tokyo... Atsushi and the staff may had gone a tad overprotective of him. For that reason, I was rejected the first couple of times I invited him. He always politely declined me until I finally got him to agree.
Ryuuji:
Fufufu... compared to everyone, Tomo was looked after by Kazu the most.
Tsubasa:
Is that so?
Ryuuji:
Isn't that obvious? A rich kid suddenly thuds into living alone in a dormitory. You can imagine the level of mess that was. But I can't claim I was any better... Anyway, Kazu knows all the rules there is in the dormitory better than anyone. So, when we moved in, he was always there to save us.
Tsubasa:
(Consider that this is taken place before their debut, Masunaga-san must have been extremely young back then to be living alone. It's admiring to think how strong Masunaga-san was... but it is also a little sad to think he is alone and so far away from his family.)
Tomohisa:
Kazu was incredible kind.... If I forgotten to hang out my laundry, he would firmly remind me and made sure I do that. Or that time he notices me waiting for food to come on the table, he would come and teach me how the cafeteria works. But no matter how much trouble I have causes him, he always laughed and said it was fine. Thanks to him, I was able to become more mature and got closer to Kazu.
Tomohisa:
When he first came to play here, he was very curious of the items around the house, point at them and asking, "what is that?" Seeing that made me so happy, I was overjoyed to explain all the things to him. Because back in the dormitory, I was clueless and had no knowledge to share with him.
Ryuuji:
Since then, Kazu started to visit Tomo's house regularly without any restraint.
Tomohisa:
Yes... I spend a lot of time together with Kazu. Ryuuji and the other kids got to get permission from their parents and had to plan before they can visit, while Kazu had more freedom. To me, it felt like he was my long-lost older brother than my real older brother. But then....at one point, we didn't see much of Kazu in the dormitory.
Kitakado-san's expression clouded.
Tsubasa:
(I want to believe there must be something from back then that causes their relationship to be strain to this day. But...)
Tomohisa:
What reason could it be for him to be distance, I don't know. I tried to think back but I don't recall I had broken any promises with him. So, when he started to decline all my invitations again... I came to realize is his avoiding me.
Tsubasa:
(It seems Kitakado-san has no clue to what the problem was either. Earlier, Ryuuji-kun also mention there were never any fight between them either. However, there must be a reason why Masunaga-san is avoiding Kitakado-san. And the only person who knows that is Masunaga-san....)
Ryuuji:
..................
Tsubasa:
(Hm? Ryuuji-kun is looking troubled. Maybe he knows something?)
Tsubasa:
I know this is sudden, but do the two of you remember what was the last thing you all did before it took a turn?
Tomohisa:
"The last thing we did before it took a turn"? Ah, that was....
Ryuuji:
It was when we got back from the film shooting of [Bishounen news report]. I was present too. It was sort of a meeting day about this project where we collaborated with foreign artists, and it was to be broadcast live in the
Tomohisa:
Immediately after the success of our first solo concert as Bambi... The three of us were very enthusiastic about going further with our career and our stage performance. Thinking back, that day my sister, who was studying aboard at the time, returned to Japan briefly. I believe, our family were all present for the first time in a while.
Ryuuji:
I remember that as well! We also watched a DVD that Tomo's sister brought with her from Switzerland, wasn't it? Or was it from England?
Tomohisa:
Yes. I recall it was from England. That brings me back. She brought with her plenty of music and fashion magazine, didn't she?
Ryuuji:
Tomo and his sister are extremely similar. Aside from their face, she is also a shopping mania and would bring with her plenty of souvenirs. When we got back to our dormitory, there were a mountain of boxes with souvenirs at the entrance we couldn't get pass.
Tomohisa:
Haha. I can't deny that. I also brought lots of various sweets for everyone in Bambi because I felt this big sense of gratitude and indebted. Also at that time, my sister brought a matching bracelet for us.
Ryuuji:
That's right! It was a special gift for the three of us.
Tomohisa:
I tend to mention the two of them when I call or send mail to my family. My sister and my parents were very eager to meet them.
Ryuuji:
Fufu. I was also glad to finally meet them. The bracelet is elegance but also simple in design. It has our name stemple on it as well. It fit us perfectly. I remember I blurted out "this is a beautiful silver bracelet" but got lectured it was platinum.
Tomohisa:
Thinking back, I was extremely over the moon. I never had something like this before with my friends, but with the bracelet, I felt at that moment our bond is starting to take shape.... Right then, the three of us promised each other to wear the bracelet together on a big stage together someday.... That promise, however, never got fulfilled in the end.
Tsubasa:
Eh? So that was the last time before it took a turn? Nothing out of the ordinary happened?
Tomohisa:
That's right. After that we just ate, watched a bit more of the foreign DVD and then went back to our dormitory. It wasn't until the day after that Kazu's attitude changed. I was still in junior high at the time so there may be a portion of details I may have forgotten, but I clearly remember having this sense of uneasiness. I thought I may have unknowingly done something that hurt him. I carefully brought it up to him, but he insisted there was nothing wrong.
Ryuuji:
................
Tsubasa:
(As I thought, Ryuuji is making that face again. I'm sure he knows something. I wonder if he had a different point of view of the story.)
Tomohisa:
But Kazu is still the same kind person inside. Nothing has changed since then. He always works hard and care for his friends. Recently, he occasionally kept tap of Kitakore's activities and spoken to me like normal again.
Ryuuji:
And precisely that's why his attitude today is concerning. It was a 180 degree! Also, everyone notices there is something wrong with Mika but not him. I wonder what is up with Kazu? Do you have an idea what it is, Tsubasa?
Tsubasa:
Well.... (I couldn't hide my emotion quick enough, and the words were stuck in my throat. The two of them nod in response as they figured it out.)
Ryuuji:
I see... so, you do know something.
Tomohisa:
If you know, then I feel more at ease. Just knowing that he isn't keep it by himself put me to rest.
Tsubasa:
(I wonder about that. Even if I know, there is nothing I can do to help him.... I can't deny nor confirm their suspicion.)
At that moment, Kitakado-san gave me a reassured smile.
Tomohisa:
There is no pressure. We don't need to know the detail. We are just worried for Kazu.
Ryuuji:
Must have been awhile since Kazu last relay on others. Is he being awkward or is he just stubborn? The way I see it he's more than stubborn. And here I thought at least he would rely on the other MooNs members a bit more, but from what we saw at the studio earlier today, it says otherwise.
Tomohisa:
Yes. Trust isn't the issue and more of the fact he has an intense sense of not wanting to trouble others. Therefore, even if it was a small portion of his problem you heard, I wish for Tsubasa to push further and give him the support he needs.
Tsubasa:
Kitakado-san.... To be honest, I am not sure how deep I should dive. What if I push too much, I'm worried I make a mistake and he wall up? Just the thought of being detested.... I'm scared.
Tomohisa:
I understand that feelings well. Knowing what's going on but don't know how to step in. However, Kazu is the type that if he doesn't' want others to touch him, he will tell you straight away. He is not the type who simply just talk to anyone. And it's not like you will force him to tell you what he is hiding. If Kazu himself shares his trouble with you, I think, there is a meaning behind it. Therefore....
Kitakado-san's intense gaze filled with expectation tells me I must do something.
Tsubasa:
(Kitakado-san may have a point. For him to confine about his brother in me may have been a SOS sign from him.
Tsubasa:
.... I understand. I will give it a try and see if I can get more out of him as much as possible.
Tomohisa:
Tsubasa.... Thank you. By the way, you don't have to feel like you got to deal with it alone either.
Ryuuji:
I agree. So, when you start to feel like you can't deal with it anymore, let me know. I will break into Kazu's room and make him spill everything.
Tomohisa:
That escalated... isn't that a bit violent?
Ryuuji:
I am prepared for the fall out. It is better to get it straighten out of him rather than losing him, not knowing the reason behind it. The two of you may be able to hold it in and thread carefully, but if it was me, I will come straight at you and demands to hear what's the matter.
Tomohisa:
Heh... that's so Ryuuji. I love your boldness.
Ryuuji:
Thank you. Despite that I constantly complains about you being too kind, I don't exactly dislike it.
When the two of them starts to bright up with smiles, the room which felt heavy a minute ago, it's now easier to breathe again.
Tsubasa:
(Kitakado-san managed to keep himself steady this long, perhaps it was thanks to Ryuuji-kun for being by his side. Today's shooting was our biggest project we have done, I hoped we could have a meal with everyone, but the timing wasn't right. However, being able to spend time with only the three of us may have been a blessing. If the others were here, this conversation may never happen.)
Afterward Tomohisa asks if Tsubasa is interest in watching some pre debut video of their time as Bambi (behind the scenes that didn't get to the final cut). Once he turns the video on, the sound that came up first was "Eikyuu Paradise" which caught Tsubasa by surprise. Ryuuji explains that "Eikyuu Paradise" was their debut song as Bambi, so this song has been around haunting them that far back. Tsubasa quietly wonders if Kazu on the video has already changed. Tomo sadly confirms he was different by then.
Context:
Prior to this, the reason they are having this conversation was because Kazu did not notice how Mika is acting distance. Like Mika's attitude changed but Kazu thought it was normal. All this indicated that Kazu wasn't in his right mind if even Hikaru notices there was something off. Usually this is something Kazu would've notice straight away and Tomo pointed that out to him, even asking if Kazu want to talk about it. Kazu then went defensive and gave Tomo a very cold fierce stare.
Notes: If what I wrote wasn't clear enough, it means that right before they debut as Bambi it was that time when Kazu changed. The happy Kazu that Tomo knows was before their debut!
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