Greedy Chapter 8

# Chapter Eight - "Pastel Panic"

### Tae-Eun

    On the way to Dam-Bi's room - a generously sized single as big as a double by my dorm's stingy standards - we had already started to recover from the excitement in the lobby. As we neared her room, the two girls leading the way took off in a sprint, or at least we thought so until it became apparent that it was only Rinko-neesan sprinting and Erika was simply doing her best to keep up on her wittle legs. Bibi and I quickened our pace - not to a matching sprint, but to a spritely double time - so we didn't lose track of them. Why?

    Why indeed. I'm pretty sure we're all headed to Dam-Bi's room to play *Capsule Girls*, so arriving quicker than her won't carry any real benefit if they can't get in, now will it?

    As we rounded the corner at the end of the hallway, Rinko zooming ahead made a little more sense. Not a lot, but a little. They had joined a third girl, instantly recognizable, who had been in the hallway.

    "...and she loves jigsaw puzzles, and the color pink, and cute hats, and…" The blonde looked as though her patience was already wearing thin, which I could understand, as Rinko's non-stop bragging about Erika was getting tiresome even before Bibi and I rounded the corner. We were evidently just the excuse the girl needed to escape, which Erika looked perfectly okay with even if Rinko looked a bit sad and annoyed.

    "Dam-Bi! There you are! I forgot, I need to talk to you immediately about, uh… work stuff!" The gorgeous blonde girl ran to us, nearly tripping over absolutely nothing in the process.

    "You're in luck then, Eimicchi. We were all just heading to my room to play *Capsule Girls*. Would you care to join us? I'm sure with your sense of rhythm you'd be just great at it!"

    "Video games? Really? So that's what you and your mysterious visitor get up to? That's not what the rumors say, but I guess I can believe it. Speaking of, hi! I'm Eimi Inagawa! I'm sure you're thrilled to meet me. It's so nice to finally meet Dam-Bi's girlfriend!"

    "Of course it's a pleasure. Everyone knows you're the second best idol in Tokyo, so why wouldn't I be delighted? My name is Tae-Eun Song, dance lead and choreographer for Pastel Project. Bibi isn't my girlfriend though, just a very good friend, so if you're looking she has my express permission to give you my number. I'd love to take you out sometime!"

    …What? Eimi's a cutie! A bit catty, but that can be fun, as my friendship with Dam-Bi can attest to. I may as well at least put it out there.

    I could do worse!

    Plus it made her get all flustered for a moment and give Bibi a real mean look, which made it all worth it.

    "Huh. I suppose the rumors are wrong. My apologies. I'd never want to slander a fellow idol, even if they are one I've never heard of. I'm sure you'll get popular really soon though! I'm afraid I must decline your offer, though. Everyone knows *real idols* don't date, no matter how *handsome* their suitor is."

    Oh, now it's on!

    Eimi, you little…

    Actually, that mean streak kind of makes her cuter...

    "Tae-Tae's group actually debuts in exactly one month. Hanarin's little friend is a member too. They've been gracious enough to get us a few tickets. I'm sure they'd love to have a superstar idol such as yourself in the audience." Dam-Bi waved the envelope I'd given her in Eimi's face and the blonde glanced over at Erika, likely wondering the same thing everyone else tends to, given her youthful appearance.

    "My! How thoughtful! Unfortunately a superstar idol such as myself needs to be very careful where she's seen. Once I'm spotted in the crowd it may be viewed as an endorsement or even shut down a show altogether when the crowd goes crazy, and I'm sure you can see that would be entirely unfair to… I'm sorry, which label are you with again? I know it's not ours. Let me guess, with that edgy look and the white leather jacket… That just screams Absynth."

    "Starsphere, actually."

    "Hah! Oh, I'm very sorry." Eimi laughed rather rudely. "Exactly one month? I'm afraid I won't be able to make it, but I'll be rooting for you. It's about time Starsphere had a hit with the under-thirty crowd. I'm sure you'll be a big success! Your look is so brave, it's inspiring."

    I suddenly understood why Dam-Bi's claws are always so sharp if this is the sort of thing she has to deal with from her own group mates. I thought some of mine could be grating, but Eimi is a real jerk. A gorgeous, impeccably built jerk that's cute enough that she can probably get away with it entirely, and whom I would still totally take out to dinner if she wanted, but a jerk nonetheless. Anyway, I have half a mind to rescind my offer. I won't, because the other half of my mind understands just how cute she is, but still…

    The other thing on my mind was that as much as most of us had been taking it as a joke so far, from now on Interlunium is *totally* Pastel Project's nemesis.

    We're going to destroy them!

    Sorry, Bibi!

    "Eimi, you should cooome. Me and Dam-Bi are gonna go. So's Junko! They're really big fans, so we should support them." Dam-Bi's brunette friend, whom she *absolutely* doesn't have a cute little thing for because she isn't *even a little bit like that*, wandered over to join us. Erika moved closer as well, though she hid behind her Nee-san, which only made her look more like a kid sister.

    "If I supported every single fan that loves me then I'd never have a moment to myself. I can't even keep up with the tremendous number of fan letters I get every day. Besides, if it's in exactly one month then I already have plans that evening. It's actually much less surprising that I have plans most Friday nights than it is that all of you suddenly have something to do besides play kiddie games. Some of us are just in super high demand."

    "Eimiii, what could be more important than supporting fellow idols?"

    "It's none of your business, but me and Megumi are attending a plum blossom festival in Kyoto. You know how she is. The tradition is very important to her and her parents invited me to come with her and stay that weekend, so you can understand why I couldn't possibly disappoint them."

    "I had no idea you were so traditional! What a wonderful surprise. Though speaking of our girlfriends, Eimicchi, where ***is*** Megumin?"

    "Megumi is ***not my-!*** I …I mean, Ms. Aihara is merely a friend, and that's all there is to it. Her parents happen to love me and begged me to come visit them again! Plus she knows I can behave in public, unlike *some* of her friends. Anyway, she's taken the train home for the weekend since she had nothing booked to retrieve some things she forgot last week. I was just seeing her off and sending my warmest regards to her wonderful parents, because they love me so much. Why else would I be skulking around the ground floor?"

    "Oh Eimicchi, who knows why you skulk around half the places you do. Well at least now we know that we can't trust rumors at all, can we? And here I thought you two had practically moved in together. If you'll excuse us though, we do have an engagement presently, and it wouldn't do to have the hostess show up late to her own party."

    "Well, then I'll be retiring to my suite. It's on the top floor. Muuuch nicer than Dam-Bi's little room. Ji-Yun, was it? Good luck with your premier."

    "Thank you for that information, Eimi. If you hear a knock later tonight, it's probably just me. Someone had better make sure you don't get too lonely while your friend is gone for the weekend." Eimi extended her tongue and waggled it at me, before trying to make a hasty escape. Dam-Bi slapped my arm, though honestly I was expecting it since I wasn't being very polite.

    "Anyway, it was nice meeting you too, Erika. I had no idea Rinko's family was so… *interesting*." Eimi extended her hand politely to the diminutive girl hiding behind Rinko, who hesitated before stepping out to meet Eimi properly, only to kick her in the shin and take off running down the hall as fast as her wittle wegs would take her. The blonde hopped on one foot clutching her leg, muttering to herself, but it all seemed melodramatic. We'd changed into our slippers as soon as we'd left the lobby, so the kick was just Erika's own skinny foot wrapped in pink fuzz. If Erika in boots could just barely make me take notice and stop walking, then surely Erika in slippers was an even less impressive force. The possibility exists that perhaps Eimi is just that fragile or weak herself, but if that were the case I can't imagine she would act as brazenly as she does. A balloon wouldn't be smart to taunt a needle, after all, no matter how small a needle it may be.

    "Eimi! Are you ok?! I don't know what happened! She's never done that before…"

    "Your little pink puppy is crazy, Rinko, that's what! What is it with you and pink people…"

    "She's really weak, if that helps. She probably hurt her own foot more than you…"

    "I'm sorry, Eimikins. I blame myself." Dam-Bi could hardly stop herself from laughing at the entire debacle. "Rinko mentioned that Erika-chan thinks of Interlunium as her rivals. I just never thought she would be so… so Yakuza about it…"

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